Washington has welcomed the move by European governments to agree in principle to ban imports of Iranian oil.
The prospective embargo along with tough US financial measures form a concerted Western campaign to hold back Iran's nuclear ambitions. "These are the kind of steps that we would like to see," said US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland. "Not just from our close allies and partners in places like Europe but from other countries around the world. Because we do believe that this is consistent with tightening the noose on Iran economically." Turkey which Iran's forth biggest oil customer sent its foreign minister for talks on Tehran's nuclear activities. As a US ally and Iranian client Ankara seeks a mediation role. But tensions are increasing.Tehran has threatened to shut the straight of Hormuz through which 40 per cent of trade oil flows if sanctions are imposed. While also promising action if a US aircraft carrier sails through the straight - something Washington has dismissed as sabre rattling.
Source: Euronews
