Iran crisis: US to apply fresh oil sanctions

WASHINGTON: Fresh sanctions on buyers of Iranian oi will be approved by US President Barack Obama

Obama said there was enough oil in the world market and US allies who were boycotting Iranian oil would not suffer negative consequences. The move helps in to take measures against foreign banks that still deal with Iranian oil. Obama said that he will be monitoring the global market closely to ensure it could handle a reduction of oil purchases from Iran.He was required by a law signed in December to determine by 31 March whether the market allowed countries to “significantly” cut their purchases from Iran.

Their is a lot of international pressure on Iran to address concerns over its nuclear enrichment program.While western countries are suspecting that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon. Although the programme is purely peaceful insists Iran.

White House acknowledged in a statement that “a series of production disruptions in South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria and the North Sea have removed oil from the market” in the first months of 2012.”Nonetheless, there currently appears to be sufficient supply of non-Iranian oil to permit foreign countries to significantly reduce their import of Iranian oil,” the statement says.”In fact, many purchasers of Iranian crude oil have already reduced their purchases or announced they are in productive discussions with alternative suppliers.”

Senator Bob Menendez told the Associated Press,”Today, we put on notice all nations that continue to import petroleum or petroleum products from Iran that they have three months to significantly reduce those purchases or risk the imposition of severe sanctions on their financial institutions”.