U.S., India In "Very Detailed" Talks About Halting Iran Oil Imports-State Dept Official

Iran -- Gas flares from an oil production platform are seen at the Soroush oil fields in the Persian Gulf, south of the capital Tehran, July 25, 2005. Picture taken July 25, 2005

NEW DELHI, Sept 6 (Reuters)

The United States and India are engaged in "very detailed conversations" over Washington's request to completely stop India's oil imports from Iran, a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters on Thursday.

"We’re asking all of our partners, not just India, to reduce to zero oil imports from Iran and so I’m confident that will be part of our conversation with India," the official said ahead of high-level talks between the foreign and defence heads of India and the United States.

"There are very detailed conversations taking place between the U.S. and India on just the technical issues related to going to zero and those conversations will continue."

India's is a big buyer of oil from Iran, a target of U.S. sanctions.

(Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)