MNA � First Vice President Es�hagh Jahangiri says Iran has found new customers and sold its oil to them, adding that "serious negotiations"for selling more oil to Russia and China and other Asian countries have started.

The Iranian First Vice President Es�hagh Jahangiri made the comments in a Tuesday interview with Japanes Kyodo news agency which has been published today.

Iran has �found new customers and sold our oil to them," Jahangiri said, but did not reveal the identity of the new oil clients.

He added that the Iranian government has started �serious negotiations� for selling more oil to Russia and China and other Asian countries.

Jahangiri anticipated that Iran could restore its oil exports to the level of before Nov. 4, even after expiration of the six-month waivers given by the US to eight countries for importing Iranian crude.

He called the US goal of getting all countries to cutting down their imports of Iranian oil to zero "very dangerous," but at the same time "very unlikely."

"I assure the world that if Iran were to be deprived of its main source of income, we would not be silent and would take appropriate measure in the right time."

According to Kyodo, Vice President Jahangiri also said that Iran stands ready to address the concerns of Japanese companies willing to continue business with the country, even as the United States presses its allies to get tough on Iran and to stop importing its oil.

"We are ready to negotiate with Japanese companies which are interested to continue their business in Iran for reaching new solutions in order to ease their concerns," he stressed.

"The Japanese government and companies have always had their own ways to pass US pressures and we hope again they use their initiatives to stay as a major oil importer from Iran," he added.