Mottaki: Era For Sanctions Literature Over

Shahr-e Kord, Jan 28, IRNA – Former foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki referring to move made by EU on Iranian oil said here Friday that era for speaking with sanctions literature against independent countries has been over. According to IRNA, Mottaki who was speaking on Friday night at the first meeting of the United Front of Charmahal-o Bakhtiari (Province) Fundamentalists held at the Imam Khomeini (P) Friday prayers ground, added, “The time for sanctions literature was the 1969s and 1970s, but has long been over now.” He reiterated, “Even in the 60s and 70s when the western countries had sanctioned South Africa, some companies in European countries and the United States were resorting to certain methods to turn around the sanctions and continue their trade with Pretoria regime.” Mottaki reiterated, “The sanctions have been imposed against this nation by the enemies ever since the victory of the Islamic Revolution and during the sacred defense (Iran-Iraq war) when the oil price was seven dollars per barrel Iran reached self sufficiency in various fields. He said, “The simplest thing to do in the world is doing business and their move in sanctioning the Iranian oil means they have not realized, or correctly analyzed the present world status.” The former Iranian FM focusing on recent developments in the United States and the rising occupy movement there, reiterated, “The nature of the recent developments in America differs with the former crises in that country.” Mottaki added, “The recent and ongoing protests in the United States have taken shape a grass root movement, supported by the majority of the American middle class people.” According to him the United States’ position is now well established as a highly indebted country with a big budget deficit for the White House, which is estimated at 15 billion US dollars in the short term. He added, “The US Administration’s budget deficit in mid-term would reach 50 billion dollars and in long term, inclusive of the insurances, that deficit would in 20 years reach 200 billion US dollars.” Mottaki reiterated, “These developments and victory of the Islamists, as well as the Islamic anti-despotism revolutions in the region are proof that the liberal system in the United States is at the end of the line and on the verge of collapse.” Referring to the Islamic Awakening movement in the region, he emphasized, “Many thinkers believe this Islamic Awakening is under the influence of the Islamic Revolution of the Iranian nation.” Further focusing on the Islamic Awakening in the region, Mottaki reiterated, “The Islamic Awakening was to the loss of the global oppression, because the people have realized their real demands and the present status id not favorable for the global oppression.” He reiterated, “The global oppression was after riding the wave on case of the ongoing developments in the region and the Islamic Awakening, but the landslide victory of the Islamists in Egypt and Tunisia highly worried the oppression system.” Member of the country’s Fundamentalists United Front referred to the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iran, arguing, “The main contestant in the election is the global oppression and the enemy’s strategy in it is the same as before.” Mottaki reiterated, “The constant formula of the oppression against elections in Islamic Iran is spending all out efforts aimed at decreasing the presence of the people at the election polls, but each time the enthusiastic presence of the people in the elections turns the dreams of the enemies into nightmares. The European Union banned imports of oil from Iran on January 23 and agreed to freeze the assets of Iran's central bank, joining the United States in a new round of measures. Last month, the US enacted new sanctions targeting Iran's Central Bank and its ability to sell petroleum abroad, but it has delayed implementing the sanctions for at least six months, worried about sending the price of oil higher at a time when the global economy is struggling. In addition to Turkey, Greece, Spain and Italy in Europe, Asian customers of Iran's oil involving China, India, Japan, South Korea plus South Africa have also refused the sanctions or asked to be exempted from it. Washington and its Western allies accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program, while they have never presented any corroborative evidence to substantiate their allegations. Iran denies the charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only./end