Iran on Tuesday warned US ally Saudi Arabia to rethink plans to compensate for Iranian oil exports cut by sanctions, and boosted security for its targeted nuclear workers as it dug in under its showdown with the West.
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told Riyadh to “reflect” on a vow to open its oil taps to make up for an imposed reduction in Iran’s oil sales. He said such a position was viewed as “not friendly.”
At the same time, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has ordered security stepped up for all of Iran’s nuclear workers following the assassination last week of a key scientist, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi said. The moves signalled a hardening of Iran’s stance as it confronted intense pressure over its controversial nuclear programme through Western sanctions impacting its economy, and a covert campaign including murder and sabotage.
Already, the Islamic republic has started new uranium enrichment operations at a heavily defended bunker southwest of Tehran, and it is preparing to hold more navy war games in the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf, a strategic chokepoint for much of the Middle East’s oil.
The tensions have raised the spectre of possible military action.
Speculation has increased of Israeli air strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, and Washington has deployed warships near the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the channel stays open. Gestures to defuse the tensions have so far made little progress. Iran says it is now willing to restart talks with world powers on its nuclear activities that collapsed a year ago, but it has not formally responded to a EU letter offering a resumption of the negotiations.
The US government in recent days sent a letter to Iran’s leaders, with whom they have had no direct contact in more than three decades.
But Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, quoted by ISNA news agency, said it contained “nothing new”. His spokesman added that Iran would only reply to it “if it’s deemed necessary”.
