Azerbaijan, Baku, July 16/ Trend, Dalga Khatinoglu/
The international community's fright from a nuclear Iran is more than its fear from rising oil prices due to the sanctions targeted Iran's oil exports, Persian-language spokesperson of the U.S State Department Alan Eyre told Trend on July 16.
The U.S. imposed two rounds of sanctions during last 18 days against Iran, including blacklisting the Iranian Central Bank, which involve transferring payments for exported Iranian crude oil. According to the reports, Iran's oil export has halved to 1.1 million barrels per day, costing more than $3 billion which Iranian government lost per month. Its 50 percent of revenues relies on oil exports.
All of 20 Iranian oil customers decreased oil purchases from Iran from 20 percent to 100 percent, which forced Iran to shut off some oil wells because of lacking enough export and storage capacity.
Answering a question about rising commodities and foods price in Iran, losing Iranian national currency's (rial) value by more than 60 percent and Iranian citizens increasingly struggle for life, Eyre said that the target of imposed sanctions is the Iranian government, not ordinary citizens, however, unfortunately U.S apprehend that sanctions have made difficulties for Iranian people as well. "It is inevitable. But, international community is decided to keep dual-track approach towards Iran to convince them to force Islamic Republic to engage its commitments according to Non-Proliferation Treaty and full cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency," he said.
Iran denies any military-related dimension in its nuclear activities, however IAEA reported last November that Iran probably has done nuclear-related tests at Parchin military base and asked Iran to allow IAEA inspectors to visit them. Iran's envoy to IAEA told Trend in May 1 that without defining a legal framework, Iran never allows IAEA to enter Parchin site.
Eyre answered to a question about effectiveness of imposed sanctions against Iran, saying after Iran's preconditions were rejected by P5+1 (UN permanent members + Germany) in January 2011 during "Istanbul I" negotiations, Iran agreed to back to keep talks with P5+1 in March 2012 in "Istanbul II" meeting without offering preconditions. "Eliminating the offered preconditions towards P5+1 by Iran can be explicated as effectiveness of sanctions over Iran," he said, adding that the final propose is not to prolong the talks, but forcing Iran to eliminate international community's serious concerns over its nuclear program in mutual respect atmosphere.
The U.S. diplomat underlined that meanwhile Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei has issued the Fatwa that the production, stockpiling and use of mass destruction weapons, including nuclear bombs, the Iranian government claims that its nuclear program is intended to peaceful goals, then it is the time of practical step, namely full cooperation with IAEA. "As the U.S. President Barak Obama has said, nuclear talk's time with Iran is not unlimited," he added.
Eyre said that in case Iran continues to ignore international concerns over its nuclear activities, the sanctions will be tightened. "Iran can change its way and boost cooperation with IAEA, then the sanctions would be removed and Iran can get a constructive role in international community," he said.
So far, the UN Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions against Iran, while the U.S. and the European Union, alongside their allies have slapped heavier sanctions over Iran to force it to abandon "sensitive" nuclear activities.