Iran petrochemical exports untouched

A senior Iranian official says the country’s petrochemical exports have not been touched by US-engineered UN sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program.

Head of Iran’s Petrochemical Commercial Company (PCC), Reza Hamzehlou, noted that Iran has turned into the first methanol exporter to China, improving from last year’s second place.

“Although 55 percent of PCC’s shares are owned by private shareholders, the US has enlisted PCC in its list of sanctioned companies,” Hamzehlou added.

He pointed out that Iran exported a total of 7.3 million tons of different kinds of petrochemical products, valued $4.5 billion, in the first half of 2010, which shows a 56 percent increase in value comparing with the same period last year.

The UN Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions against Iran in June.

Following the June 9 sanctions, the US, the EU and a number of other countries took unilateral measures against Iran over its nuclear program.

Tehran has repeatedly stressed that its nuclear program is civilian in nature, adding 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 purposes.