March 19, 2025
    Advanced Search 
  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Iran threatens to use oil in NK standoff
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-12 15:15

Iran on Saturday explicitly warned for the first time that it could use oil as a weapon if the U.N. Security Council imposes sanctions over an Iranian nuclear program that the U.S. and others suspect is trying to produce atomic bombs.

Iranian female police officers wearing chadors parade, during a female police graduation ceremony at the Police Academy in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March, 11, 2006. [AP]

Later in the day, diplomats said Russia is pushing for a new round of international talks to be held away from U.N. headquarters, apparently hoping to head off a showdown in the council.

Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi raised the possibility of using Iran's oil and natural gas supplies as a weapon in the international standoff and also noted Iran's strategic location at a chokepoint for a vital Persian Gulf oil route.

"If (they) politicize our nuclear case, we will use any means. We are rich in energy resources. We have control over the biggest and the most sensitive energy route of the world," Pourmohammadi was quoted as saying by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Iran is the No. 2 producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries after Saudi Arabia. It also lies on one side of the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for most of the crude oil shipped from the Persian Gulf nations.

Pourmohammadi's statements were the most specific yet in a series of threats issued by Iranian officials as the Security Council discusses how to cajole Iran into reimposing a freeze on uranium enrichment and fully cooperating with a U.N. probe of its suspect nuclear program.

Iran's government denies it is trying to develop atomic weapons, saying its program is intended only to produce fuel for nuclear reactors that generate electricity.

Tehran insists the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty gives it the right to enrich uranium for reactor fuel, even though the process also can produce the fissile material needed to make atomic bombs.

Russia, which has economic and political ties to Iran, has been trying to mediate a settlement and avoid U.N. sanctions. It is thought to fear Iran could spurn negotiations entirely at a time when the West fears the Islamic state is determined to obtain atomic weapons.

In Vienna, Austria, a Western diplomat told The Associated Press that the Kremlin is trying to arrange talks March 20 among the five permanent Security Council members 錕斤拷 the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France 錕斤拷 and Germany.

The meeting is envisioned for Vienna because Russia wants to take the focus off the council's deliberations in New York, said the diplomat, who agreed to give details of the confidential discussions only on condition of anonymity.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov floated the idea of multilateral talks on Iran earlier in the week but did not suggest a date or venue. On Friday, John Bolton, America's ambassador to the Security Council, also said continuing consultations made "a lot of sense."

But the Western diplomat suggested Washington wants the main focus to remain on the Security Council, emphasizing that route was approved in January by Lavrov and the foreign ministers of the other permanent members.

The five permanent council members considered proposals Friday on how to get Iran to answer questions about its nuclear program, abandon uranium enrichment and stop construction on a reactor.

The five planned another meeting Monday morning to look at a revised draft of a resolution involving Iran, the Western diplomat said.

Another diplomat who had seen the draft told AP it calls on Iran to halt construction of its heavy-water reactor and stop all uranium enrichment, but does not contain any threat of punishment against the Iranians.

The lack of a threat is a clear effort to get Russia and China on board. If that does not happen, Bolton and other senior U.S. officials have suggested Washington might try to rally its allies to impose their own targeted sanctions.



Chile's new president sworn in
Terror bombings kill at least 20 in India
Bush signs Patriot Act renewal
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Death penalty cases to be heard in open court

 

   
 

China growth a good thing: Australian FM

 

   
 

Hu calls for stepping up army building

 

   
 

Taipei march protests Chen's political ploy

 

   
 

Bush urges Americans to reject protectionism

 

   
 

Ex-Yugoslav leader Milosevic dies in cell

 

   
  Iran threatens to use oil in NK standoff
   
  Britain and US in talks over closing Guantanamo Bay
   
  Thai PM offers talks with rivals, critics
   
  Israel's Netanyahu rules out govt pact with Olmert
   
  History now will be Milosevic's judge: AP
   
  Former exile Bachelet now Chile's leader
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
 
Font Large Medium Small
E-Mail This Story
Print Friendly Format
Comment On This Story
Save This Story
 
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         

| Home | News | Business | Living in China | Forum | E-Papers | Weather |

| About China Daily | About China Daily.com.cn | Contact Us | Site Map | Jobs |
 Copyright 2005 Chinadaily.com.cn All rights reserved. Registered Number: 20100000002731
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国产高清av在线播放| 日韩福利片午夜在线观看| 日批日韩在线观看| 亚洲成a人片在线观看久| 亚洲色大成网站www永久| 2345成人高清毛片| 奇米影视久久777中文字幕| 亚洲人在线视频| 激性欧美激情在线aa| 国产内射爽爽大片视频社区在线| 50岁老女人的毛片免费观看| 日本一二三区视频| 亚洲AV人无码综合在线观看| 老司机福利精品视频| 美国式禁忌3在线影片| 99re6在线视频精品免费下载| 色噜噜在线观看| 国产成人综合色视频精品| 2021国产麻豆剧| 国产美女久久精品香蕉69| 99久久精品国产一区二区成人| 日韩电影免费在线观看网| 亚洲国产成人va在线观看网址| 精品无码久久久久久国产| 国产精品成人99一区无码| 中文字幕26页| 日本伊人精品一区二区三区| 亚洲电影在线播放| 男女男精品网站| 午夜精品福利在线| 久久久久777777人人人视频| 国产精品第9页| 丝袜美腿中文字幕| 最近的2019中文字幕hd| 免费在线视频一区| 饭冈佳奈子gif福利动态图| 国产浮力第一页草草影院| 9久热精品免费观看视频| 日本不卡中文字幕| 久久精品国产99国产精品澳门 | 好男人在线社区www在线视频免费|