Iran believes it is due $7.8bn of revenue relating to crude oil sales made in recent months, according to government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht. Iran blames Western sanctions for keeping it shut out of the global banking system.
Iran did not reveal the reason for the delay in receiving payment. However, it reported that its key oil customers were China, India, Japan, South Korea and Turkey.
“U.S. and European sanctions are preventing international banks from transferring money to the Islamic Republic,” said Nobakht.
Tehran is in talks with world powers about its nuclear programme, seeking a deal to lift the sanctions that have halved its oil exports and hammered its economy.
Iran confirmed that its total oil revenue in the past 12 months was $52.8 billion.
