Iran warned Saudi Arabia to reconsider its vow to make up for any shortfall in Iranian oil exports under new sanctions, adding Obama’s letter contained nothing new
Iran on Tuesday warned Saudi Arabia to reconsider its vow to make up for any shortfall in Iranian oil exports under new sanctions, saying Riyadh's pledge to step into the market was unfriendly.
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi issued the warning in an interview with Iran's Arabic language broadcaster Al-Alam. "We invite Saudi officials to further reflect and consider" their offer to compensate for curbed Iranian oil exports unfriendly, Salehi said.
His comments were in response to Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi’s statement saying Saudi oil output could be boosted to by around 2.6 million barrels per day - the same amount that Iran exports - and that the world will not permit Iran to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
"The security of the Persian Gulf is a collective security and Iran is a major player in this regard." Iran has told Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing Arab neighbors that if they step in to compensate for Iranian oil exports cut under looming EU and US sanctions, it "would not consider these actions to be friendly."
In the same context, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday that a letter sent by the United States to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei warning that a closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be crossing a "red line" contained nothing new.
"Our country does not seek conflict and tension with anyone," the ISNA news agency quoted Mehmanparast as saying. "We have declared that Persian Gulf security is our major priority and Iran will give a tough response to any country which intends to endanger regional security. Everything will change if anyone wants to change [the] regional climate," he added.
Also on Tuesday, a senior military advisor to Imam Khamenei said that Iran has "different tools to defend its national interests" should it be threatened.
Maj.-Gen. Yahya Rahim Safivi said Iran is the "greatest power" in the region and the "guarantor of international energy security."
