Updated

A senior official praised India for reducing oil imports from Iran and said the U.S. government will decide soon on New Delhi's request to renew a waiver from sanctions on Tehran.

U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman said Friday that India's reduction of oil imports was supporting U.S. and European Union sanctions against Iran, which are aimed at deterring the country from developing nuclear weapons.

According to the Press Trust of India news agency, India slashed imports of Iranian crude by nearly 27 percent in the financial year that ended March 31.

However, India is reliant on imported crude and is reluctant to completely stop imports from Iran.

Sherman was in New Delhi to prepare for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to India next month.