Asia's Iranian oil imports are set to rise from December after the United States granted eight countries waivers from sanctions against Iran's oil exports for 180 days.

Iran PressAsia: China, India, Japan and South Korea last month imported about 664,800 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from Iran, according to government and ship-tracking data, Reuters reported on Friday.

South Korea cut imports to zero for a third month in November while Japan followed suit. India's November imports are down by about 40 percent from October, the data showed.

China's imports of Iranian oil rebounded to close to 390,000 bpd in November —  up from about 247,000 bpd in October.

Sinopec, Tehran's biggest crude buyer, resumed Iran oil imports shortly after China received its waiver in November while China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) will restart lifting its own Iranian oil production in December.

Japan and South Korea are preparing to resume Iranian oil imports in early 2019.

India is expected to set its monthly purchases of Iranian oil to 1.25 million tons, or nine million barrels, during the waiver period from November.

On December 11, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said: "After 4 November our oil exports have increased significantly. In the current year our oil exports have increased by 13 percent compared to last year."

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The US, following withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018, announced its' intention to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero.

But later the Donald Trump administration was forced to grant waivers to eight countries to continue purchasing Iran’s crude oil aimed at preventing an oil price hike. 101/ 211 / 201

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