TEHRAN, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian oil ministry has downplayed the recent threat by the European Union (EU) to ban Iran's natural gas export, semi-official Fars news agency reported Saturday.
The EU threat is a "propaganda campaign," a spokesman of the ministry, Alireza Nikzad-Rahbar was quoted as saying in response to EU diplomats' recent remarks that EU is mulling over imposing a ban on Iran's gas export into Europe to put up pressure on the Islamic republic over its controversial nuclear program.
"Right now no EU member imports Iranian gas supply," Nikzad- Rahbar said, "The new EU threat is just a propaganda maneuvering and will never take place since they (the EU members) can never make themselves politically dependent on the other countries."
Iran is now exporting gas to Turkey and has swap deals with Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to the report.
In the meantime, Iranian lawmaker Esmaeil Kowsari said the EU intention to impose a ban on Iranian natural gas export to Europe would prove a "mistake," Tehran Times daily reported Saturday.
"The European Union should be aware that it is making a mistake, and Iran will get through this stage, and in the future, the member states of the union will beg Iran to renew their oil and ( natural) gas contracts due to their need for energy," Kowsari was quoted by the daily as saying Friday.
The EU members based their decision on the recent fluctuations in Iran's foreign exchange market, which is a miscalculation, he was quoted as saying.
Kowsari, a member of the Iranian Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also said it would be the EU's last resort to complete the economic blockade on Iran.
"As we overcame most of our problems (caused by) oil (sanctions) , we will deal with encroachment on the export of (natural) gas," said the Iranian lawmaker.
The EU imposed an embargo on Iran's oil export on July 1.
TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that the West has launched an economic " battle" against the Islamic republic.
The enemies have targeted Iran's oil and banking sector to put pressure on the Islamic republic, Ahmadinejad said here at a press conference. Full story
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that sanctions on Iran could be " remedied in short order" if the Islamic Republic works sincerely with the international community over its controversial nuclear program.
Acknowledging that sanctions have had an impact on Iran, as the country's currency has sank to a new low in its value over the past days, the top U.S. envoy stressed that "Those could be remedied in short order if the Iranian government were willing to work with the P-5+1 and the rest of the international community in a sincere manner." Full story
|
