The story: Iranian Petroleum minister Javad Owji says Iran has found dependable customers for its oil despite tough continued US sanctions—and pledged to increase production in a year. This comes as the Islamic Republic maintains that it has increased crude exports, driven by what industry analysts describe as a rise in Chinese purchases of Iranian oil.

The coverage: In an interview with the conservative Fars News Agency published on Mar. 18, Owji said Iran was successfully bypassing US restrictions.

• The minister credited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with ensuring the safety and security of Iran’s oil shipments...