(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - On the condition that European officials are scheduled to discuss sanction of Iran’s oil in their January 23 meeting-a week ago, Greece, Italy and Turkey the major buyers of Tehran’s oil extended their 2011 agreements for 2012.
Since 18 percent of Iranian oil is exported to these three European countries, they could be named as the major clients of Iranian oil in the green continent.
European fear of US sanctions
According to the latest reports by international institutions, Turkey imports 217000 barrel per day from Iran which is 30.6 percent of its total oil imports. Ankara has declared that it can not follow US unilateral sanctions against Tehran.
The imposition of a ban on Iranian oil will be painful for a range of southern European countries, such as Italy and Spain, which are heavily dependent on imports from Iran.
Adding to the complication is the dire condition of the Greek economy and the country’s place at the epicenter of the continent’s debt crisis.
Greece is importing 111000 barrel per day from Iran which means 22.6 percent of its total oil import and in the meantime, Italy is importing 249000 barrel per day which means 13.3 percent of its total oil import.
However, Spain is importing just 149000 barrel per day from Iran which is 9.6 percent of its total oil import, it is not willing to sanction Tehran.
Therefore, all European customers of Iran oil which expect aid from European stronger economies like France, Germany and UK will not accept being victimized by politically-motivated embargos of US, London, Berlin and Paris against Tehran.
According to credible reports, in addition to Turkey, Greece, Spain and Italy in Europe, Asian customers of IRI’s oil involving China, India, Japan, South Korea plus South Africa have also refused the sanctions or asked to be exempted from it.
Asian-African firm opposition
Nelson Mkwete, spokesperson for the department of international relations and cooperation of South Africa has told the Mail and Guardian that "Pretoria is still deciding how to respond to these sanctions -- or even if it will respond to these at all.
Additionally, Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihiko Noda also said Friday that Japan had yet to decide whether it would reduce oil imports from Iran. Japanese news reports have said that the Noda government has offered to reduce imports of Iranian oil gradually in exchange for the United States agreeing to exempt Japan’s banks from financial sanctions aimed at Iran.
Furthermore, speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Weimin said on Thursday night that using sanctions, imposing pressure and threatening one another with force not only do not help solve the problem, but they would lead to further deterioration of the situation. Liu echoed earlier comments by Premier Wen Jiabao, who told reporters in the Qatari capital, Doha late Wednesday that Iran's peaceful nuclear issues should be resolved through peaceful means.
In the meantime, Russia for his part has warned the US that moves to tighten sanctions on Iran would be perceived as an attempt at “regime change”. Gannady Gatilov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister told a press conference on Friday that additional sanctions or military strikes against Iran would “unquestionably be perceived by the international community as an attempt at changing the regime”.
Loopholes of oil embargo on IRI
Analysts believe that while the new sanctions are the toughest ever imposed, they still contain many loopholes. If Iran oil customers don’t reach a consensus on oil embargo against IRI, partial sanctions could send crude and gasoline prices skyrocketing and therefore, increase Iran revenues which means punishment of US allies.
Iran is expected to still be able to sell its oil to places like China, India or other Asian countries. About 35 percent of Iran's oil exports currently go to China and India.
Although some EU states are willing to test partial embargos on Iran for at least a short period of time by the help of big oil producers like Saudi Arabia and Qatar in order to satisfy anti-Iranian European lobbies of Zionist regime but weak European economies like Greece, Italy and Spain are afraid of such dangerous maneuvers against Tehran.
It should be noted that Zionist regime not being harmed by the embargos against Tehran, is provoking sanctions by the help of its agents around the world involving US and EU.
In conclusion, as sanction of Iran oil is the last bullets in the enemies’ gun, then its defeat would be a big victory for Iran and a big defeat for the enemies.
International observers believe that however, war is told to be the last option for US against Tehran but it is not more than a propaganda tool for psychological war to disappoint IRI loyalists in Iran and the world and on the contrary, to boost Tehran internal and international enemies.
The recently enacted US sanctions impose financial penalties against foreign banks that do business with Iran's central bank, which is responsible for most of the country's oil deals.
Washington and its Western allies accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear program, while they have never presented any corroborative evidence to substantiate their allegations. Iran denies the charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
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