If America invades Iran: Price of oil per barrel

[A.Rahman]

If America invades Iran: Price of oil per barrel will approach $150, warns Iranian diplomat

* Denies Dr AQ Khan’s involvement in Tehran’s nuclear programme

By Iqbal Khattak

PESHAWAR: Tehran warned the United States against attacking Iran over the nuclear issue on Tuesday and asserted that such a move would jeopardize the global economy.

“The US will not mistake Iran as Iraq and invade,” Mohammad Hassan Imani, the consul-general of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Peshawar, told reporters during an Iftar party at his residence.

He said that an American invasion of Iran would drive the price of oil per barrel close to $150. “The Iranian people are fully committed to the government in Tehran,” he said.

He said that any US attack on Iran should be seen in the context of Iraq, which Washington invaded on the pretext that Saddam Hussain possessed weapons of mass destruction, which have still not been found.

Imani defended his country’s urge to develop what he called ‘indigenous nuclear technology’ saying it was Tehran’s right as a sovereign state. “We will not develop nuclear weapons,” the Iranian diplomat pledged. “We honour our word.”

He criticised the US opposition to Iran’s nuclear programme, asking why the US ignored other countries that also had nuclear programmes and weapons.

The diplomat denied the argument that Pakistani nuclear scientist Dr AQ Khan helped develop the Iranian nuclear programme. “He did not help Iran get nuclear technology from Pakistan.”

Imani said the US and Israel had been conspiring against Iran since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution. “They are not afraid of Iran’s nuclear programme. What they are afraid of are the many countries that support Tehran (in the nuclear standoff),” Imani declared.

The Iranian diplomat reiterated his government grief and support for the Pakistani nation as it faces the aftermath of the devastating October 8 earthquake. “The Iranian government and its people will help earthquake victims in Pakistan as much as possible. We are already helping our Pakistani brothers,” the Iranian diplomat said