A general view of
Iran's first offshore oil platform, Iran-Alborz, in the Caspian Sea near city
of Neka about 392 km (245 miles) north of Tehran (Reuters/Official website of
the Iranian Oil Ministry)
Source: Russia Today
Iran warns that it could stop exporting oil, driving
global crude prices up, should the US and allied Europe tighten sanctions
further. For such a case, Tehran says, it has a contingency strategy to carry
on without oil revenues.
“If you continue to add to the sanctions, we will
stop our oil exports to the world,” Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi told
reporters Tuesday. “The lack of Iranian oil in the market would drastically
add to the price.”
Iran is currently under pressure from international
sanctions, mainly in oil exports, imposed by the UN Security Council, the US
and the EU in order to curb the Islamic Republic’s controversial nuclear
program. Washington and some if its allies believe the program is being used to
develop a nuclear weapon.
On October 15, the European Union foreign ministers
approved a new package of sanctions targeting Iran’s financial, trade, energy,
transportation and telecommunications sectors.
Earlier in October, American lawmakers also extended the
already tough sanctions against Iran.
The measures have severely hurt the Islamic Republic’s
economy.
However, Qasemi said that Iran has a “Plan B” which will
enable the country to make due without profits from oil sales. He did not
mention how long the economy could function, though, without selling oil.
Iran is still pumping oil at capacity and producing 4
million barrels per day (bpd), Qasemi said, denying OPEC’s report that the
country's output has fallen to around 2.7 million bpd. He added that "Iran
has been facing US sanctions for 30 years while successfully managing its oil
sector."
Iranian Parliament considers sanctions on Europe
Angered by a new round of sanctions, Iranian lawmakers are working on a “preemptive embargo package” which would hit European states, Press TV reported.
Officials plan to impose sanctions in three phases.
The first will deprive Iran’s enemies of its high-quality
light and heavy crude oil. According to the report, 70 European oil-refining
plants depend on Iranian oil.
The second phase is a ban on goods transported from
European states that participated in imposing the sanctions against Tehran.
And the third would prohibit Iranian citizens from
traveling to hostile countries.
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2012 Oct 15
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2012 Oct 15
EU bans import of Iranian gas to European countries – German FM
Nouri Petrochemical facilities of the South Pars gas field in the southern Iranian port of Assaluyeh (AFP Photo / Atta Kenare)
Source: Press TV
EU governments have agreed to one of the toughest sets of sanctions against Iran's nuclear program. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has announced the EU is banning the import of Iranian natural gas into European Union countries.
The set of sanctions also includes a ban on financial transactions between European and Iranian banks, with some exceptions for those involving humanitarian aid, food, and medicine purchases.
"The [EU] Council has agreed additional restrictive measures in the financial, trade, energy and transport sectors, as well as additional designations, notably of entities active in the oil and gas industry," a written statement issued by the European Union council said.
Further export restrictions were imposed on graphite, metals, and software for industrial processes. Restrictive measures were also made relating to Iran's ship building industry.
The move is aimed at putting pressure on Iran to cooperate in talks regarding its nuclear program.
Prior to Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said new sanctions would be "a sign of our resolve in the European Union that we will step up the pressure."
The US and its allies have long accused Iran of using its nuclear program to develop atomic weapons, although Tehran says the program is solely for peaceful purposes.
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