Iranian ambassador – EU sanction will be ‘inhumane’

Ambassador Samad Ali Lakizadeh. Photo courtesy Iran Embassy, Warsaw

“Sanctions imposed by the European Union follow in the footsteps of the unjust and inhumane sanctions imposed by the United States,” Samad Ali Lakizadeh says, as two-thirds of Iran’s MPs endorse a statement calling for cutting off oil exports to the European Union, before EU sanctions come into effect.

The EU is imposing the oil import ban in retaliation for what Brussels believes is Iran’s continuing efforts to develop a nuclear arsenal.

Ambassador Samad Ali Lakizadeh told Polish Radio, however, that the sanctions by the US and now EU are directly aimed at making life harsher for ordinary Iranians.

“The Americans themselves admitted that the sanctions are directed against the Iranian people so that they rise up against [the Iranian government]. The sanctions are intended to impede the ordinary life of Iranians.

“We regret that the European Union, which in recent years has expanded with new members, is still not developing its own policies and just follows the policy of the Americans ,” the ambassador said.

Ambassador Samad Ali Lakizadeh said in the interview with Polish Radio that inspectors from the UN Atomic Energy Agency will be returning to Iran on February 20 and will find, he says, that the Iranian nuclear programme is for energy needs only.

The statement by the Iranian parliament says that “in the case of the continuation of illogical policies” by the EU, Iran will look for alternative customers.

The EU embargo is due to come into effect this summer. (pg)