Iran to Sell Oil despite US Attempts

The “Persian Gulf is our lifeline … so stability of (the) Persian Gulf, freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf, (and) free flow of oil in the Persian Gulf (are) in our vital national security interest,” Zarif said at an event at the Asia Society in New York on Wednesday.

“We guarantee (the security and stability of the Persian Gulf) as long as it is in our national security interest. If we are prevented from using [the] Persian Gulf for our national security, then why should we guarantee it?” he added, noting, “If the United States takes the crazy measure of trying to prevent us from doing that, then it should be prepared for the consequences.”

The top Iranian diplomat reiterated that Iran would continue to find buyers for its oil despite the US declared bid to cut Iranian oil imports to zero.

“We believe that Iran will continue to sell its oil. We will continue to find buyers for oil and we will continue to use the Strait of Hormuz as a safe transit passage for the sale of our oil. That is our intention and that is what we believe will happen,” he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Zarif pointed to US obstructionist acts to hinder Iran’s business with other countries in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which Zarif said its purpose is to “normalize Iran’s business relations” and which “calls on all states to implement the resolution”.

He slammed Washington for violating the resolution, which supports a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, and threatening other states with punishment if they engage in trade with Tehran.    

“The United States is not only not complying [with the deal] itself but it is saying that the rest of the world should not comply and it is going a step further saying that we will punish you if you comply,” he said.

“This is the first time … that this is happening at the UN that a permanent member of the Security Council is openly calling on other countries to violate a Security Council resolution and threatening them with punishment if they didn’t,” Zarif added.

He said it is not for Iran to make a change in its policies, stressing that current world relations brook no coercion from the US. 

“We know that the Unites States is a big economic power. We know that the Unites States is huge market. We know that nobody wants to lose the US market but the American government should understand that people are doing this out of desperation because they have no other choice; this is coercion, pure and simple. Do we want to build international relations in coercion? Do you think it is sustainable,” he said, adding, “Power has to be moderated by some sort of rules, otherwise we will be living in a jungle.”

Touching on US sanctions re-imposed on Iran following Washington’s withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Zarif said sanctions hurt the ordinary Iranians but stressed they will fail to force Iran to change its policies.

“Sanctions certainly impact our economy. Sanctions target ordinary people …. They are targeting Iranian people … Sanctions will hurt, no doubt about it, but will sanctions change policies? They won’t. Never have, never will,” he said.

The White House said on Monday waivers for China, India, Japan, South Korea and Turkey would expire in May, after which they could face US sanctions themselves.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani downplayed the effects of Washington's decision to end sanctions waivers on Iran's oil sales, and dismissed talks with the US administration which uses the language of threat and force to demand negotiations.

"We have always been people who favor talks and diplomacy as we are people of war and defense. Negotiations will be possible when all pressures are taken off, they (the US) apologize for their illegal measures and when there is mutual respect. Undoubtedly, demands by a knife-stabbing person who lies and is using force to hold talks is not accepted and we do not negotiate with a knife-stabbing person and with the formula of knife-stabbing, as accepting such negotiations means humiliation and surrender," President Rouhani said, addressing a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.

He said that the US was no way ready for negotiations, reminding that Washington's 4-decade-long plots against the Iranian nation had all ended in fiasco and failure for the White House.

"And they will fail in their plots again," Rouhani underscored.

He played down the US threats to zero Iran's oil exports, saying, "This is not possible and we will sell our oil in different ways, while this move by the US is an oppression against all the world nations, international oil firms and even its own nation."

President Rouhani said Iran was pleased with all its neighbors, expect Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and sent them a tacit warning. "They should note their acts and behavior. Saudi Arabia and the UAE should know that they have survived because of the wise decision made by the Islamic Republic of Iran's government."

He explained that when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein occupied Kuwait in 1990s he sent a message to demand Iran's cooperation with Baghdad in occupation of other Persian Gulf Arab states, but his offer was turned down by Iran.

"It was the Islamic Republic of Iran which saved Saudi Arabia; had we made another decision in that period of time, there would have been no sign of Saudi Arabia and the UAE," Rouhani said.

He blasted Riyadh and Doha for their collaboration with the US in pressuring Iran through compensating for Iran's production share to be lost under the new US decision.

"You know that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the main regional power and if it changes its decision, it will bring it into action; therefore, you must choose a path beneficial to the regional and world nations and the market," President Rouhani said.

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