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India Won't Cut Oil Imports From Iran |
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Monday, 30 January 2012Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said his country cannot do without Iranian oil and will not be cutting its Iranian imports despite other countries' efforts to punish Tehran for its suspect nuclear activities.
Mukherjee was speaking during a visit to Chicago in the United States, which has led a Western effort to boycott Iranian oil in response to continuing concerns about Tehran's nuclear efforts and alleged rights abuses.
"You know Iran is an important supplier of petroleum crude," Mukherjee said. "We import around 105 million tonnes of crude per year. It is increasing. The last import last year was 105-106 million tonnes imported. Iran contribute substantially."
He acknowledged that countries like Saudi Arabia and Nigeria contribute as well, "But Iran contributes substantially and it is not possible for India to take any decision to reduce the import from Iran drastically."
India is the world's fourth-largest oil consumer. It gets 12 percent of its oil from Iran.
Washington is said to be urging Asia, Iran's biggest oil market, to cut its imports in the wake of its own embargo and a recent European Union pledge to halt oil imports from July.
The United States and EU also have declared freezes on the assets of Iran's central bank.
Such pressure, Washington hopes, will put pressure on Iran to rein in its nuclear program.
The West suspects Iran of developing nuclear weapons, a charge Iran has long denied. |
Monday, 30 January 2012
RFERL
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