Iran claims countries refusing to refuel jets
Source: Agencies |
July 6, 2010, Tuesday
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IRANIAN officials accused Germany, Britain and the United Arab Emirates yesterday of refusing to refuel Iranian passenger planes in response to tougher US sanctions over its nuclear program.
The claim followed steps by the UAE this month to tighten its crucial role as a trading and financial lifeline for Iran. The UAE Central Bank asked financial institutions to freeze the accounts of 40 entities and an individual blacklisted by the UN for assisting Iran's nuclear or missile programs.
"Since last week, our planes have been refused fuel at airports in Britain, Germany and UAE because of the sanctions imposed by America," Mehdi Aliyari, Secretary of the Iranian Airlines Union, told Iran's ISNA news agency.
Pressure is mounting on Iran over its nuclear program and the United States has stepped up its push to isolate Tehran economically. Last week, US President Barack Obama signed into law far-reaching sanctions that aim to squeeze the Islamic Republic's fuel imports and deepen its international isolation.
The US action and other measures planned by the European Union go well beyond a fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran approved on June 9.
The extent of the refueling ban announced by Iranian officials was not immediately clear. There was no confirmation from the governments mentioned.
An airport company in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi denied that any such measure was in place. "We have contracts with Iranian passenger flights and continue to allow refueling," said a spokeswoman for Abu Dhabi Airports Co (ADAC).
Germany's Transport Ministry said the refueling of Iranian planes was not banned under EU or UN sanctions and that a future ban of this order was not foreseeable.
"There is no ban," a spokesman for the ministry said, adding that he could not comment on whether any individual providers were refusing to fuel Iranian aircraft.
If confirmed, the new measures will be evidence of a determined intention to make these sanctions really bite.
Gala Riani at IHS Global Insight said any such measure targeting the provision of fuel to Iranian flights would seem a "very strict reading" of the new US sanctions law.
She said it would not necessarily be the kind of measures the legislation, which is more directed at trade in fuel, aimed to achieve.
"I'd be cautious to jump to any conclusions," she said about the Iranian news agency report.
During the past weeks, countries and firms have cut back on their imports of Iranian crude oil. More companies have also stopped providing Iran with refined petroleum.
The claim followed steps by the UAE this month to tighten its crucial role as a trading and financial lifeline for Iran. The UAE Central Bank asked financial institutions to freeze the accounts of 40 entities and an individual blacklisted by the UN for assisting Iran's nuclear or missile programs.
"Since last week, our planes have been refused fuel at airports in Britain, Germany and UAE because of the sanctions imposed by America," Mehdi Aliyari, Secretary of the Iranian Airlines Union, told Iran's ISNA news agency.
Pressure is mounting on Iran over its nuclear program and the United States has stepped up its push to isolate Tehran economically. Last week, US President Barack Obama signed into law far-reaching sanctions that aim to squeeze the Islamic Republic's fuel imports and deepen its international isolation.
The US action and other measures planned by the European Union go well beyond a fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran approved on June 9.
The extent of the refueling ban announced by Iranian officials was not immediately clear. There was no confirmation from the governments mentioned.
An airport company in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi denied that any such measure was in place. "We have contracts with Iranian passenger flights and continue to allow refueling," said a spokeswoman for Abu Dhabi Airports Co (ADAC).
Germany's Transport Ministry said the refueling of Iranian planes was not banned under EU or UN sanctions and that a future ban of this order was not foreseeable.
"There is no ban," a spokesman for the ministry said, adding that he could not comment on whether any individual providers were refusing to fuel Iranian aircraft.
If confirmed, the new measures will be evidence of a determined intention to make these sanctions really bite.
Gala Riani at IHS Global Insight said any such measure targeting the provision of fuel to Iranian flights would seem a "very strict reading" of the new US sanctions law.
She said it would not necessarily be the kind of measures the legislation, which is more directed at trade in fuel, aimed to achieve.
"I'd be cautious to jump to any conclusions," she said about the Iranian news agency report.
During the past weeks, countries and firms have cut back on their imports of Iranian crude oil. More companies have also stopped providing Iran with refined petroleum.
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