 |
| The last round of nuclear talks failed in January |
Iran has
declared its readiness to resume nuclear talks with world powers. The
concession came as a senior navy commander denied state media reports that the
Islamic Republic had already test-fired long-range missiles.
Iranian
Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi declared on Saturday, December 31, that the
Islamic Republic was ready to resume talks with world powers over its nuclear
program.
The
semi-official Mehr news agency reported that chief Iranian nuclear negotiator
Saeid Jalili will formalize the request in a letter to the head of the
six-party negotiations, the European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine
Ashton. It is unclear, however, when representatives from Iran, Britain, China,
France, Germany, Russia and the United States will meet.
The concession
came in the midst of increased tensions with western powers after Iran
threatened to close a key oil shipping route by readying war missile tests near
the entrance to the Gulf.
Iran's
senior navy commander denied media reports on Saturday that long-range missiles
had already been test fired in the Strait of Hormuz during a navy drill.
Mahmoud Mousavi told Iran's the state television network IRIB, however, that
the exercise would be carried out imminently.
"In
the next days, we will test-fire all kinds of surface-to-sea, sea-to-sea and
surface-to-air as well as shoulder-launched missiles," he said.
The
semi-official Fars news agency, Press TV and the IRNA had earlier reported the
test had taken place as part of a ten-day series of naval exercises due to end
on Monday.
Simmering
dispute
 |
| The EU has threatened to follow the US and ban imports of Iranian oil |
According
to the US Energy Information Administration, twenty percent of the world's oil
moves through the Strait of Hormuz, at the entrance of the Gulf, making it the
"most important chokepoint" in the world. Around 14 crude oil tankers
pass through the narrow strait every day, carrying 17 million barrels.
The dispute
over the channel flared this week after the Iran's Vice President, Reza Rahimi
warned the west "not a drop of oil" would be able to pass through the
strait if more sanctions were imposed over the country's nuclear program. The
US responded by saying a closure "will not be tolerated."
The United
Nations have already imposed four rounds of sanctions on Tehran following fears
its nuclear program is being used to develop atomic weapons, a charge Iran has
denied.
The United
States is also among a number of countries to have imposed unilateral sanctions
on Iran's economy.
The most
recent round of unilateral sanctions prompted members of the Basij militia
controlled by the Revolutionary Guards to ransack the British embassy in
protest.
Author:
Charlotte Chelsom-Pill (AFP, AP, Reuters)
Editor: Toma Tasovac
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.