Newspaper stands by story on Iranian oil sales

A DUBAI-BASED newspaper yesterday said it stands by a story in which it quoted Iran’s president as saying he might curtail oil sales if his nation is referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions over its nuclear programme.

But the Khaleej Times acknowledged the confusion might have arisen because the reporter, a freelance journalist, told the president she was working for another paper.

After the story quoting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appeared Saturday, his office issued a statement saying he “never had an interview, either oral or written” with the paper.