THE GUARDIAN: Iranian foreign minister says Gulf states co-operating with western efforts to isolate Tehran would be in 'dangerous position'
Tehran has warned its Gulf neighbours that it would be "dangerous" for them to join a western-led effort to isolate Iran, with the warning coming as a meeting of European ambassadors in Brussels failed to agree on the details of an EU oil embargo.
The EU permanent representatives council had been due to agree a far-reaching sanctions package including a phased embargo on oil imports from Iran and a freezing of the assets of the country's central bank.
But Greece refused to agree to a Danish proposal to begin the oil embargo on 1 July, calling for more time to enable it to complete existing contracts with Iranian suppliers and find new ones.
The ambassadors will work through the weekend in an effort to complete a deal before foreign ministers meet on Monday.
The sanctions package includes a freeze on European assets belonging to the Central Bank of Iran, with loopholes to allow non-oil trade to continue. Britain is also pushing for a partial asset freeze on an Iranian private bank.
Iran – which already faces US sanctions on the global financing on its oil trade, effective in June – focused its attentions yesterday on trying to persuade Gulf Arab states not to co-operate with the western isolation campaign. » | Julian Borger, diplomatic editor | Thursday, January 19, 2012
