Pakistani Editor: Iran’s Reaction To Western Curbs is Justified

Islamabad, Feb 22, IRNA -- A Pakistani editor on Tuesday justified Iran’s decision to cut oil supplies to those countries who have posed sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Talking to IRNA, Saleem Bukhari editor of daily ‘The Nation’ said that if west can impose sanctions on Iran without any justification then Iran has the right to cut its oil supplies. “The reaction of Iran to European Union curbs is natural and justified,” said the editor. He viewed that Iran must react harshly to western sanctions. Iran has stopped selling crude oil to British and French companies. “Exporting crude to British and French companies has been stopped ... we will sell our oil to new customers,” spokesman Alireza Nikzad was quoted as saying by the ministry of petroleum website. Earlier, the European Union had banned imports of oil from Iran joining the United States in a new round of measures. The latest sanctions by the European Union will be fully enforced by July 1. The sanctions on Iran oil is fraught with risks — of rising energy prices and global financial instability. Saleem Bukhari expressing his views said Iran is a major oil exporter to many European Countries and the decision of Iran will definitely hit the European economies. “Very soon the European countries will realize that they have made a grave mistake by imposing sanctions on Iranian oil products,” he noted. The editor warned that the closure of oil supplies can put the world on a stand still position. He said that western states are against Iran because the country is following an independent policy on many issues especially on Palestine. The senior journalist expressing his views said under the influence of Israel, US is trying to encircle Iran with stiff policies. He praised the determination of Iranian leaders against western pressure. “Iranian leaders have become role models for other Islamic countries,” said Saleem Bukhari./end