Shamkhani: Iran has many options to neutralize US sanctions
Iran has devised initiatives to foil the US sanctions on its oil exports, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said, noting that the country has multiple ways to sell its crude.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has designed and put into practice initiatives that would neutralize the illegal US sanctions against Iran’s export of oil,” Shamkhani said in an interview with the Tasnim News Agency.
He noted that although the US pressures may inflict some costs on Iran, they could not undermine the Islamic Republic’s resolve.
As regards the speculation that Iran could block the Strait of Hormuz in case of a halt to the export of Iranian oil, Shamkhani said, “Although the Islamic Republic of Iran’s military capabilities and extensive capacities have been proved to professional observers and there is no need to mention and repeat it, a cut in the export of oil would not be necessarily tantamount to a blockade of Strait of Hormuz.”
“There are multiple methods to make that (blockade of Hormuz Strait) happen, and we hope we would not have to use them,” the top official concluded.
Carrying one-third of the world’s seaborne oil every day, the Strait of Hormuz links Middle East crude producers to key markets in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and beyond.
In comments in January, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said there are several approaches available for Iran to sell its oil despite the US sanctions.
“We proudly get around the US sanctions,” the president had noted. Tensions between Iran and the United States increased after US President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers last May, and then reimposed sanctions on Iran.
The restoration of sanctions is part of a wider effort by Trump to force Iran to further curb its nuclear and missile programs as well as its support for Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.
Washington had been pushing governments to cut imports of Iranian oil to zero. But, fearing a price spike, it granted waivers to eight Iranian oil buyers when the sanctions on oil imports started last November.
Supporting Syria
Iran has been the Syrian government’s most supportive ally against terrorists throughout the nearly eight-year war.
“We have achieved 90 percent of Iran’s goals in Syria,” said Shamkhani.
“There will be important developments in promoting deterrence capability of the resistance front in Syria,” said Shamkhani when asked about Israel’s “possible future attacks” in Syria, according to Tasnim. “Iran is capable of confronting any military threat ... Trump and Israel are well aware of Iran’s military might,” Shamkhani said. “They know that they cannot enter a war with Iran. That is why they publicly threaten Iran.”