Japan, South Korea in talks with U.S to avert damage from Iran sanctions

FILE PHOTO: Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga attends a news conference at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's official residence in Tokyo, Japan May 29, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - Japan and South Korea, two major buyers of Iranian oil, are in talks with the U.S. government in a bid to avoid adverse impacts from Washington's reimposition of sanctions aimed at cutting Iran out of international markets.

The United States is demanding countries cut all imports of Iranian oil from November, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on allies to cut off funding to Iran.