Western sanctions no obstacle to Iran oil exports: Oil minister

Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi says although the West seeks to topple the Islamic establishment by imposing sanctions against Iran’s oil sector, the country’s oil exports will never cease.

Addressing a group of the Oil Ministry staff on Monday, Qasemi emphasized that Iran’s oil market will never close because oil consumer countries need Iranian crude.

“There are many ways to easily sell oil one of which is to take advantage of businessmen and the private sector,” Qasemi said.

The oil minister stated that the enemies of Iran are trying to bring the country under their control because of its huge hydrocarbon resources.

“Fortunately, the Islamic establishment governs these unique reserves and the enemies are trying to either topple the government or prevent Iran’s potential resources from being taken advantage of,” he noted.

The minister stressed that the world powers are seeking to separate the Iranian people from officials and the fuss over Tehran’s nuclear energy program is just an excuse to prevent Iran from becoming stronger.

He added that even if Tehran shuts down its nuclear energy program, Western countries would still have something to say as “the nuclear energy is an excuse….”

At the beginning of 2012, the United States and European Union (EU) approved new sanctions against Iran’s oil and financial sectors which aim to prevent other countries from purchasing Iranian oil or transacting with its central bank.

US sanctions entered into force on June 28, while EU oil bans against Iran were enforced as of July 1.

Washington and the EU claim that the bans are meant to pressure the Islamic Republic to give up its nuclear energy program, which they claim includes a military aspect.

Iran dismisses such charges arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is entitled to use the nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.