Roundup: Iran dismisses EU threats on natural gas export ban
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E-mail Xinhua, October 7, 2012
Roundup: Iran dismisses EU threats on natural gas export ban
TEHRAN, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian oil ministry has dismissed 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," Alireza Nikzad-Rahbar, a spokesman of the ministry, 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.
On Friday, Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi held comprehensive talks with Turkish oil officials in Istanbul over increasing exports of Iranian oil and natural gas supplies to Turkey, said Fars.
The two countries also agreed on Uzbekistan's natural gas transit to Turkey via Iran and in return for Iran's gas transit to Europe through Turkey, said 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 said.
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 UN Security Council imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran between 2006 and 2010 over its refusal to halt its nuclear enrichment program, which Western countries suspect could be used to develop nuclear weapons.
The United States and European Union have imposed and expanded sanctions of their own over the years despite Tehran's insistence on the peaceful nature of its nuclear drive.
The EU imposed an embargo on Iran's oil export on July 1.
Meanwhile on Saturday, Press TV quoted an Iranian lawmaker as saying that the "illegal" sanctions imposed on Iran by those countries that claim to advocate human rights target the middle- class people in a blatant violation of human rights.
"The (so-called) advocates of human rights have proven the West 's double standards regarding the concept of human rights by imposing illegal sanctions on the Iranian people," spokesman for Iran Majlis (parliament) Legal and Judicial Commission, Mohammad- Ali Esfanani, was quoted as saying.
Major powers define the human rights based on their own interests and needs and justify their "anti-human" measures through instrumental use of human rights, said Esfanani.
He noted that the enemies put extra economic pressure on the Iranian nation after they failed to defeat the resistance of the Iranian people and government against their plots. Enditem
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