Iran to stop oil exports to 'some' EU countries


China.org.cn, January 30, 2012

An Iranian security guard walking in front of the Mahshahr petrochemical complex in Khuzestan province south western Iran, 28 September 2011. [CFP]

Iran threatened on Sunday that it would soon stop exporting crude oil to "some" countries, the country's state news agency IRNA reported, citing Iran oil minister Rostam Qasemi.

"Soon we will cut exporting oil to some countries," the state news agency IRNA quoted Qasemi as saying.

Qasemi did not provide further details about these countries, but his remarks came in less than a week after the EU's 27 member countries decided to stop importing Iran's oil and oil products from July 1.

Major EU importers of Iran's oil, such as Greece, Italy and Spain, will have to find alternative oil suppliers before July 1, when the embargo takes effect.

"Less than 20 percent of Iran's oil exports are destined for Europe" and the EU sanctions will take a heavy toll on the European people, Qasemi was quoted as saying, adding that the embargo would not create a problem for Iran's oil exports even if sales to Europe were halted.

In the past few days, some Iranian lawmakers said Iran's Majlis (parliament) would discuss a bill over a ban on oil exports to the EU. However, the Majlis Energy Commission said on Sunday that no bill has been drafted or brought to the legislature regarding that matter.

A group of high-ranking officials of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), led by chief IAEA inspector Herman Nackaerts, arrived in Iran Sunday morning for a three-day visit to Iranian nuclear facilities