Iran denies it has stopped oil exports to Pakistan

TEHRAN, Nov.12 (MNA) -- The National Iranian Oil Company’s director for international affairs rejected news published on Pakistani media claiming Iran has stopped exporting some 12,000 barrels of oil to Pakistan due to the fact that the Karachi refinery has failed to open L/C under U.S. and EU sanctions on Iran. Exports of Iranian crude oil to Pakistan is currently underway, the NIOC director Mohsen Qamsari told . Daily Times reported that Pakistan Refinery Limited has a long-term contract for the import of 12,000 barrels per day light crude oil from Iran. However, due to current U.S. and European Union sanctions on Iran, the refinery is facing difficulties in opening L/C, therefore, they are not importing crude oil from Iran since November 2010. Federal Minister of Pakistan for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Asim Hussain, clarified that there was no restriction on Pakistan about the import of oil from Iran. He admitted that there were some banks (related to U.S.) that were reluctant to open LCs for oil import. Second thing for stopping of the Iranian oil import is that it is not compatible with oil available in Pakistan, he said, adding that there was a single refinery in Karachi which refined Iranian crude oil, and it had been closed due to some technical reasons.