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.

On Sunday, the newspaper said the reporter on several occasions “presented herself as a reporter with the American-based Arabic News, and not as a Khaleej Times reporter, though she has given this report exclusively to Khaleej Times.”

The paper’s editor, Prem Chandran, said: “We support what we published.”

The paper said that in the interview, Ahmadinejad was asked about last month’s resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which warned Iran it would be referred to the Council unless it allayed fears about its nuclear programme.

Iran insists its programme is for energy, while the United States suspects it is trying to build atomic bombs.

According to the newspaper, Ahmadinejad said: “If Iran’s case is sent to the Security Council, we will respond by many ways, for example, by holding back on oil sales or limiting inspections of our nuclear facilities.”

His office responded by saying “such a claim is nothing more than a mere fabrication.”

Iran pumps about 4 million barrels daily, the second-highest amount in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries after Saudi Arabia.

Crude oil exports account for about 80% of Iran’s hard currency income, and an oil official has projected revenues from exports this year at $43 billion (€35.7bn).

If Iran were to substantially curtail its exports, world oil prices would rise, but Tehran would lose revenue.