| http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020402/ts_nm/energy_iran_weapon_dc_3&cid=578
Iran Says Oil for Weapon Tactic Would Be Effective Mon Apr 1,10:59 PM ET KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Using oil from Muslim countries as a weapon to make Western nations force an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank could be very effective but would need support from all the states concerned, Iran said on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, asked if Iran would back Iraq's call to use oil as weapon against the West to pressure Israel's hand, said: "I believe the Islamic (unclear) has enough instruments to use but it all depends on the collective decision of Islamic countries. "If they decide to use oil as a weapon, it would be very effective," he told a news conference. Kharrazi did not make clear the grouping of Islamic nations to which he was making reference. Foreign ministers and other representatives of countries within the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) were in Malaysia for a three-day meeting on terrorism. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites), facing a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings, has promised an "uncompromising war to uproot these savages" and crush what he calls a terror campaign directed by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (news - web sites). Iraq called on Monday for Arab states to use oil as a weapon to punish countries supporting Israel and to stop the Jewish state's current military action against Palestinians. EYES ON KEY PRODUCERS U.S. crude prices steadied around $27 on Tuesday, waiting to see whether major Middle East suppliers would heed a call by Iraq for Arab nations to use oil as an economic weapon against countries supporting Israel. A 1970s Arab oil embargo shook the world, quadrupling oil prices and badly damaging the U.S. economy. But Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest exporter, and other major producers in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC (news - web sites)) have made clear they want no repeat of the earlier embargo, meaning any attempt at a re-run would likely have little impact. Kharrazi told Reuters after the news conference that Washington must convince Israel to draw back its army. "The first thing is to put pressure on the United States," he said. "As long as the Americans are supporting Israel, there is little chance that Israel will withdraw... they should take a more strong position if they are interested to resolve this issue," he said. President Bush (news - web sites) has declared Iraq, Iran and North Korea (news - web sites) an "axis of evil" for trying to develop weapons of mass destruction that could be used against the United States. Speculation has been rife about whether Iraq would be the next target for the United States in its war against terrorism but Bush said last month that Washington had "no imminent plans" to attack Iraq. The OIC's 57 members span Albania in Europe to Indonesia in Asia, Guyana in South America and Mozambique in Africa. |
