The US is having “very intense and very blunt” conversations with India, China and Turkey on reducing their dependence on Iranian oil, the Secretary of State, Ms Hillary Clinton, has told lawmakers.

Ms Clinton, testifying before a Congressional committee yesterday, said the US is asking these countries to take specific measures that would reduce their dependence on Iranian oil. But, without naming anyone, she did acknowledge that this would be a bit tough for some countries.

“With respect to China and Turkey and India, we’ve had very intense and very blunt conversations with each of those countries. I think that there are a number of steps that we are pointing out to them that we believe they can and should make,” Ms Clinton said while responding to questions from Senator Mr Robert Menendez.

“In a number of cases, both on their Government side and on their business side, they are taking actions that go further and deeper than perhaps their public statements might lead you to believe,” Ms Clinton said.

“We are going to continue to keep an absolute foot on the pedal in terms of our accelerated, aggressive outreach to them. And they are looking for ways to make up the lost revenues, the lost crude oil,” she said.

Claiming that the oil deficit is a difficulty for several other countries, Ms Clinton said the US has come up with lots of suggestions that would help these countries in resolving the crisis.

“Our expectation and the direction we are giving to countries is that we do expect to see significant reductions.

“I am pleased to report, Senator, that we’ve been aggressively reaching out to and working with countries to assist them in being able to make such significant reductions,” Ms Clinton said.

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