0545 GMT: Oil Watch. The head of the National Iranian Oil Company, Ahmad Ghalehbani, has said Iran's goal is a "full prevention of selling crude oil" while expanding the production of refined products and other derivatives: "We hope to get to a point someday that, with full implementation of this strategy, we [will] export not even a drop of oil."
Ghalehbani's comment follow a declaration last week by Minister of Oil Rustam Qassemi that the Islamic Republic will halt all oil exports if the West imposes additional sanctions.
0530 GMT: Sanctions All-Is-Well Alert. Seyed Mohammd Marandi explains to Press TV that the international sanctions are not really affecting the Islamic Republic:
They are being seen as trying to make ordinary Iranians suffer...although they are not successful as they like to and this has shown, I think, the very uncivilized side of the European and American politics.
Instead, Marandi explained, it is the publics in the "West" who are suffering:
It is pretty obvious, I think to everyone, that the higher prices of oil and gas right now are partially due to the sanctions against Iran and therefore Europeans and Americans are sacrificing basically the well-being of their own people for the sake of the Israeli regime.
0515 GMT: On Wednesday, the Supreme Leader issued a pointed warning:
The recent correspondence [between President Ahmadinejad and head of judiciary Sadegh Larijani over Ahmadinejad's request to visit Evin Prison, denied by the judiciary] and issues discussed are not at all important, but such differences of opinion should not be rethlated to the public and become pretexts for the foreign media and enemy abuse....Everyone must pay attention to his or her responsibilities under the present sensitive circumstances.
Both Sadegh Larijani and his brother, Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani, welcomed Ayatollah Khamenei's intervention. Sadegh Larijani said he understood Khamenei's "message of unity" with his "life and heart", while Ali Larijani welcomed the Supreme Leader's advice.
Ahmadinejad, in contrast, said nothing.
(Hat tip to the Iran Tracker)
Posted via email from lissping
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