Clinton: China, others making progress on reducing Iran oil imports as sanctions deadline hits

June 28, 2012

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday that China and Singapore are making progress in reducing their imports of Iranian oil as a deadline hit for the Obama administration to begin deciding whether to impose sanctions on the countries under a law aimed at pressuring Iran to prove its nuclear program is peaceful.

 

Speaking in Latvia on the day of the deadline, Clinton said China and Singapore shared the goal of keeping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. She said they have cut back on purchases of Iranian oil, but she gave no indication the two countries would get exemptions or receive a waiver based on national security considerations.