TEHRAN- As announced by Mohammad Rezvanifar, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), Iran has exported $19.5 billion of crude oil and fuel oil in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-August 21).

Iran has been expanding its oil destination markets as the country is pushing to send more oil to the global markets in an attempt to neutralize Western sanctions.

Iran has sent shipments of crude oil to new destinations such as Bangladesh and Oman, according to shipping sources and data cited by Reuters in mid-August.

Oil sales are Iran's major revenue source and the country has been looking for ways to sidestep U.S. sanctions on its crude exports that former president Donald Trump re-imposed in 2018 over Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran, which is exempt from output quotas set by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is striving to maximize production and exports.

Former Oil Minister Javad Oji said in July that Iran was selling crude oil to 17 countries, including those in Europe, according to Mehr News Agency.

MA