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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iranian Planes Denied Fuel in UK, Germany, UAE |
| 2010-07-05 |
| A top Iranian airline official says Iranian planes have been refused fuel at airports in other countries, since the United States implemented new sanctions against Iran last week. The Iranian news agency ISNA quoted Mehdi Aliyari as saying airports in Britain, Germany and the United Arab Emirates have refused fuel for Iranian planes. He said the refusals began after U.S. President Barack Obama signed a new sanctions package into law that targets Iran's energy and banking sectors. At the same time, Iran is dismissing the economic impact of the sanctions. Speaking Monday at the opening of a steel plant in Azerbaijan province, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the Iranian people will prove the sanctions to be a failure. Oil Minister Massoud Mir-Kazemi said the sanctions were "nothing new" and would not affect Iran's energy sector. The new U.S. sanctions aim to make it harder for Iran's government to buy refined petroleum and exclude from U.S. markets companies involved in selling gasoline, jet fuel and other such products to Iran. The sanctions also prevent foreign banks from accessing the U.S. financial system if they do business with key Iranian institutions or Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Mr. Obama said the new sanctions will strike "at the heart" of Iran's ability to fund and develop its alleged nuclear weapons program. Last month, the U.N. Security Council approved a fourth round of sanctions on Iran because it has refused to stop its uranium enrichment program. The European Union then imposed its own sanctions against Iran, including a ban on transfers of technology to Iran's oil and natural gas sector. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful, but Western nations suspect Iran is trying to build weapons. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #6 Smells like bullshit. If they couldn't refuel then how could they fly home? There should be Iranian planes stacking up at airports throughout Europe, and breathless press stories about the poor, oppressed pilots & crew. |
| Posted by: gromky 2010-07-05 23:58 |
| #5 glad that's cleared up! Thx Oblahblah and Hillary(!) |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-07-05 20:55 |
| #4 Britain, Germany and the UAE deny this report. Britain, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates denied reports Monday that their airports were refusing fuel to Iranian planes, according to AFP. A secretary of the Iranian Airlines Union told the ISNA news agency earlier that "since last week, after the passing of the unilateral law by America and the sanctions against Iran, airports in England, Germany, the UAE have refused to give fuel to Iranian planes." All three countries denied the report. In London, a British government spokesman said: "At present Her Majesty's Government is not aware of any occasions when fuel has been refused in the UK." |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-07-05 19:49 |
| #3 "United Arab Emirates have refused fuel for Iranian planes" Interesting. Guess Arab really don't like the Mullahs. Did they sat least sell them enough fuel to get out of the country? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-07-05 18:58 |
| #2 Glad to see we still have a few companies that support us. For all that are taking advantage of us, just remember, this is a one term president and the shift to the right will be swift and the blade sharp. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2010-07-05 18:39 |
| #1 a start if we can get uniform compliance. Hello, China! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-07-05 18:37 |