Rouhani says U.S. pressure to stop Iranian oil may impact regional exports

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said regional oil exports may be threatened if the United States tries to pressure clients to stop buying Iranian crude oil, a new agency reported on Tuesday.

“The Americans have claimed they want to completely stop Iran’s oil exports. They don’t understand the meaning of this statement, because it has no meaning for Iranian oil not to be exported, while the region’s oil is exported,” Rouhani said late on Monday during a visit to Switzerland, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

Rouhani did not elaborate.

Iranian officials in the past have threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route, in case of hostile U.S. action against Iran.