Japan Weighs Return to Iranian Oil as Shipping Risks Cloud Sanctions Waiver

By Jonathan Saul and Parisa Hafezi

LONDON/DUBAI, July 3 (Reuters) – Iran has begun talks with Japanese companies under a U.S. sanctions waiver allowing it to resume oil sales, though prospective buyers are seeking a longer waiver and reassurances about ship safety, three Iranian and Western sources said.

The waiver, part of 60-day peace talks between Tehran and Washington, was issued on June 22 and expires August 21.

Three Japanese buyers were looking at possible crude oil purchases from Iran, their first since 2019, said two Iranian sources, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the