Japan’s crude oil imports from Iran in November fell 54.8% from a year earlier to 82,300 barrels per day (392,542 kiloliters), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) data showed on Friday, as it seeks a waiver from U.S. sanctions.
Japan, China, India and South Korea take the bulk of Iran’s crude exports and have been under pressure to trim purchases from the OPEC producer under Western sanctions aimed at cutting oil funds to Tehran because of its disputed nuclear program.
A breakthrough agreement last month between Tehran and world powers allows the OPEC member to keep exports at the current reduced levels of about 1 million barrels per day (bpd), less than half the pre-sanctions level.
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