Presidential Candidate Slammed for Claiming Credit for Iranian Oil Sales

Presidential candidate Saeed Jalili has been slammed for claiming that his advice was responsible for boosting Iran's oil sales.

Reformist Abbas Abdi responded to the presidential aspirant by emphasizing that the credit for eased restrictions on Iran's illicit oil exports belongs not to Jalili’s intervention but to external political changes, specifically under Biden's administration. Since Joe Biden took over, Iran is said to have generated at least $88bn in oil revenue, in spite of sanctions designed to cripple Iran's commercial power.

According to figures released by Kpler, an industry analyst, Iran's oil exports have seen a substantial increase, rising from 350,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2020 to approximately 1.5 million barrels per day (mb/d) in the first half of 2024.

However, due to the sanctions which have been levied for Iran's nuclear program, support of terror groups, human rights abuses and support of Russia's war on Ukraine, the growth in export volumes has not seen a proportionate rise in oil sale revenues.

As Iran approaches its snap presidential election on June 28 following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May, the six final candidates, five of whom are known to be close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, are ramping up their campaigns with an array of propaganda tactics as they vie for the presidential seat.