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Russia has no plans to join oil embargo on Iran - Shmatko

Energy Minister underlined that it is necessary to avoid politicization of the issues concerning energy

DOHA, December 7 (Itar-Tass) — Russia does not consider it necessary to join an oil embargo on Iran, Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said in Doha on Wednesday.

“Russia is a large oil and gas exporter that consumes no tonne of Iran’s energy carriers, therefore we have no need to join the embargo,” he said. “And we have no plans at all to allow the import of Iran’s oil.”

He underlined that it is necessary to avoid politicization of the issues concerning energy.

However, “now it became evident that the decision taken in relation to Iran is of political nature,” Shmatko said. “In these issues we stick to an absolutely neutral position.”