MINSK, March 10 (Reuters) - The United States has removed sanctions against Belorusneft, a state-owned Belarussian energy company, imposed in 2011 for its involvement in the Iranian petroleum sector, the U.S. government said on Tuesday.
The sanctions have been lifted amid a thaw between the West and Belarussian leader Alexander Lukashenko, once branded "Europe's last dictator".
Lukashenko has won some acclaim for hosting international talks aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
"The Secretary of State has decided to terminate sanctions imposed ... on Republican Unitary Enterprise Production Association Belarusneft (a.k.a. Belarusneft, a.k.a. Belorusneft) on the basis that the company is no longer engaging in sanctionable activity," the U.S. government said.
The U.S. State Department imposed sanctions on Belorusneft after it entered into a $500 million contract with NaftIran Intertrade company in 2007 for the development of Iran's Jofeir oilfield.