In Europe, 69% express opposition to banning Iran’s oil

Majority of respondents to a public survey conducted in eight European countries have expressed opposition to banning Iranian oil imports.

European Union foreign ministers agreed on January 23 to ban oil imports from Iran and to freeze the assets of the Iranian Central Bank across the EU.

The sanctions will become fully effective on July 1, 2012 in efforts to give EU member states sufficient timing leverage to adjust to new conditions emerging from the cutoff of Iran’s oil and find alternative crude supplies.

German Marshall Fund carried out a phone survey between January 25-28 by using a sample of more than 3,000 adults from Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden and Spain.

According to the survey, 69 percent of respondents were opposed to imposing sanctions on Iran’s oil exports, while 30 percent said they agreed with the latest measures by the EU.

Global oil prices have continually climbed this year following Iran’s retaliatory measure in halting oil sales to British and French firms reacting to EU’s anti-Iran embargos.

Iran announced on February 21 that it will only continue its oil exports to the European Union if the member states make guaranteed payments and commit to medium- and long-term oil purchase contracts.

Tehran has also announced that it may further halt its oil exports to other European countries.