Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Oct. 10 - Iran said on Friday that India would in 2009 become its top Asian buyer of oil, ahead of China and Japan.

“We are negotiating with a few Indian companies to sell crude oil in 2009”, said Ali-Asghar Arshi, a senior official in the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

“Currently the leading customers of Iran's crude oil in Asia are Japan, China and India but next year the top ranking will change to India, China and Japan” said Arshi who is the NIOC's Managing Director for International Affairs.

Arshi said that Tehran does not currently sell crude oil to Latin American countries, but has recently participated in bids to sell crude to Chile and Uruguay.

Iran's top European customers for crude oil are Italy, France, Belgium, Greece, and Spain, according to state media.

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