miqeel
23rd January 2012, 11:01
http://www.france24.com/en/20120123-eu-agrees-slap-oil-embargo-iran-diplomats-0
AFP - European Union nations agreed Monday to slap an oil embargo against Iran's oil exports in a bid to halt funding of the country's disputed nuclear programme, EU diplomats said.
"There is a political agreement on an oil embargo," said a diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity after early morning talks between ambassadors of the 27 EU nations held before the opening of a foreign ministers' meeting.
The deal is to be formally approved by the EU ministers during their one-day talks.
The compromise agreement, which follows weeks of difficult talks, provides for an immediate ban on importing Iranian crude and a gradual phase-out of existing contracts between now and July 1.
Greece's dependence on Iranian oil had been holding up an accord on the timing and conditions of the embargo as the financially strapped nation relies on Iran for more than a third of its imports and had struck preferential financial terms with Tehran.
Greece had initially asked for a transition period of up to a year, or even more, and intensive talks have been going on for weeks to find alternative sources and resolve the issue.
Iran sells around 20 percent of its crude to EU nations, with Greece, Spain and Italy the top buyers.
The move comes as the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln passed through the Strait of Hormuz and is now in the Gulf, the Pentagon said, after Tehran threatened to close the strategic shipping route.
"USS Abraham Lincoln ... completed a regular and routine transit of the Strait of Hormuz ... to conduct maritime security operations as scheduled," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain John Kirby told AFP via email Sunday.
"The transit was completed as previously scheduled and without incident."
The carrier, which can have up to 80 planes and helicopters on board, was escorted by the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St George and two destroyers.
Earlier, Britain's Ministry of Defence said a British Royal Navy frigate and a French vessel had joined the carrier group to sail through the strategic waterway.
While allied ships often participate in US naval exercises and sometimes are part of joint naval flotillas, the presence of British and French ships seemed to be a message to Tehran about the West's resolve to keep the route open.
AFP - European Union nations agreed Monday to slap an oil embargo against Iran's oil exports in a bid to halt funding of the country's disputed nuclear programme, EU diplomats said.
"There is a political agreement on an oil embargo," said a diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity after early morning talks between ambassadors of the 27 EU nations held before the opening of a foreign ministers' meeting.
The deal is to be formally approved by the EU ministers during their one-day talks.
The compromise agreement, which follows weeks of difficult talks, provides for an immediate ban on importing Iranian crude and a gradual phase-out of existing contracts between now and July 1.
Greece's dependence on Iranian oil had been holding up an accord on the timing and conditions of the embargo as the financially strapped nation relies on Iran for more than a third of its imports and had struck preferential financial terms with Tehran.
Greece had initially asked for a transition period of up to a year, or even more, and intensive talks have been going on for weeks to find alternative sources and resolve the issue.
Iran sells around 20 percent of its crude to EU nations, with Greece, Spain and Italy the top buyers.
The move comes as the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln passed through the Strait of Hormuz and is now in the Gulf, the Pentagon said, after Tehran threatened to close the strategic shipping route.
"USS Abraham Lincoln ... completed a regular and routine transit of the Strait of Hormuz ... to conduct maritime security operations as scheduled," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain John Kirby told AFP via email Sunday.
"The transit was completed as previously scheduled and without incident."
The carrier, which can have up to 80 planes and helicopters on board, was escorted by the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St George and two destroyers.
Earlier, Britain's Ministry of Defence said a British Royal Navy frigate and a French vessel had joined the carrier group to sail through the strategic waterway.
While allied ships often participate in US naval exercises and sometimes are part of joint naval flotillas, the presence of British and French ships seemed to be a message to Tehran about the West's resolve to keep the route open.