Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Cairo and Tehran—
The deepening economic and diplomatic pressure against Iran is sharpening tensions between Tehran and oil-producing Arab states that have long relied on the West to counter Iran's nuclear program and its regional ambitions.
Iran's growing isolation has agitated sectarian mistrust in the Persian Gulf between Tehran's Shiite Muslim-run government and Sunni-controlled states including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. In a provocative move over the weekend, Iran warned Arab regimes not to join a possible Western-backed oil embargo to further weaken its economy.
"If our southern neighbors collaborate with the adventurous states [the U.S. and Europe] by substituting their oil for Iran's oil, these countries will be considered as accomplices in future events," Mohammad Ali Khatibi, Iran's OPEC governor, said Sunday. Such a move would be regarded as an "unfriendly gesture," he said.
The comments came as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited oil giant Saudi Arabia. Beijing and other Asian capitals have energy ties to Tehran but are being urged by Western nations to reduce their imports of Iranian oil amid international sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear program. The West says Iran is intent on developing a nuclear bomb; Tehran says its aim is to produce energy for civilian purposes.
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Iran's growing isolation has agitated sectarian mistrust in the Persian Gulf between Tehran's Shiite Muslim-run government and Sunni-controlled states including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. In a provocative move over the weekend, Iran warned Arab regimes not to join a possible Western-backed oil embargo to further weaken its economy.
"If our southern neighbors collaborate with the adventurous states [the U.S. and Europe] by substituting their oil for Iran's oil, these countries will be considered as accomplices in future events," Mohammad Ali Khatibi, Iran's OPEC governor, said Sunday. Such a move would be regarded as an "unfriendly gesture," he said.
The comments came as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited oil giant Saudi Arabia. Beijing and other Asian capitals have energy ties to Tehran but are being urged by Western nations to reduce their imports of Iranian oil amid international sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear program. The West says Iran is intent on developing a nuclear bomb; Tehran says its aim is to produce energy for civilian purposes.
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