A leading Iranian conservative attacked the countrys oil minister for proposing the sale of natural gas to Europe once sanctions end, in the latest sign of internal divisions over President Hassan Rouhanis detente.Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor of conservative newspaper Kayhan and a figure with close ties to Irans Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khamenei, wrote that Oil Minister Bijan Zanganehs proposal was naive and a betrayal of Irans ally, Russia, in its dispute with the U.S. and European Union over Ukraine.
A hard and heavy crisis is threatening Europe, Shariatmadari wrote. There is not only no room for the slightest compassion, but to increase the scope and severity of the crisis is desirable, just like attacking a professional assassin to prevent further bloodshed.
The row comes as Iran and world powers are due to resume negotiations in Vienna to resolve the decade-long dispute over the Islamic republics nuclear program. Rouhanis government has come under attack by hardliners over its efforts to achieve a nuclear deal.
Yesterday, Zanganeh said Iran would be willing to supply natural gas to Europe, where theres concern that Russian PresidentVladimir Putincould restrict supplies of the fuel as a retaliation against EU sanctions.
Putin seized control of Crimea in March after pro-EU protesters ousted his Ukrainian ally, PresidentViktor Yanukovych, and tensions persist in eastern Ukraine where pro-Russian separatists are planning a vote on secession.
Irans hardliners have described the Ukrainian protesters as agents of the U.S., and have drawn comparisons with the anti-government demonstrations that spread in Iran in 2009.
By Bloomberg
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