Upon cutting Iranian oil exports to the West, they will definitely face difficulties, and we hope they will open their eyes to the move and stop taking illogical measures (against Iran).”
Iranian lawmaker Hossein Ebrahimi
An Iranian lawmaker has described the Islamic Republic’s decision to cut oil exports to some European states as a punitive measure which will create problems for the countries’ refineries.
“Upon cutting Iranian oil exports to the West, they will definitely face difficulties, and we hope they will open their eyes to the move and stop taking illogical measures (against Iran,” Deputy Chairman of the Majlis Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Hossein Ebrahimi said on Wednesday.
Ebrahimi further said that about 80 European refineries are supplied by Iranian crude oil and noted that restrictions on Iran’s oil exports to Europe would serve as the best response to the bloc’s energy and banking sanctions against Tehran.
On Wednesday Iran warned six European states, including the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, Greece and Portugal, that it is cutting oil exports unless long term deals are made and payments by the EU states are guaranteed.
After the EU announced plans on January 23 to impose a ban on purchasing oil from Iran, Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said on February 8 that Tehran decided to halt crude exports to some European states.
EU sanctions will take effect on July 1, 2012, to give the bloc’s member states enough time to adjust to new conditions and find alternative crude supplies.
On February 8, 200 Iranian lawmakers signed a statement, expressing their full support for the Oil Ministry’s decision and urged the government to find new markets for Iran’s crude.
The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program and have used this pretext to push for four rounds of UN sanctions and a series of unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
Iran has refuted the allegations, arguing that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful use.
—Agencies