Iran denies IRGC links to state oil company September 25, 2012 - 16:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran denied on Tuesday, Sept 25, a claim by the U.S. Treasury that its state oil company is linked to the country's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Reuters reported. The designation, made in a Treasury report to Congress, enables the United States to apply new sanctions on foreign banks dealing with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), one of the world's largest oil exporters. The move is part of a wider net of oil-related sanctions by Washington aimed at forcing Iran to curb the nuclear program which the West says is aimed at developing weapons. Tehran says its nuclear work is purely for peaceful purposes. "We strongly deny these false allegations," said Alireza Nikzad-Rahbar, a spokesman for Iran's Oil Ministry. The IRGC, Iran's elite military force, has long been under US sanctions for what it defines as terrorism and human rights abuses. Partner news  Top stories Amy Elliott, chief administrative officer of the Oklahoma medical examiner's office, said 51 were confirmed dead. An Islamist insurgency, once confined largely to the republic of Chechnya, has spread across the North Caucasus in recent years. Earlier, at least five Azerbaijan soldiers were killed and six seriously injured when their vehicle rammed into a tree and overturned. Among its provisions are bans on child marriage and the traditional practice of selling and buying women to settle disputes.   Partner news |  Latest news Human Rights Watch: more Afghan women imprisoned for "moral crimes"  Human Rights Watch says many are jailed for running away from home, often from forced marriages or domestic violence.Benedict Cumberbatch’s Julian Assange biopic to open in Oct The drama centers on the relationship between Assange and Domscheit-Berg, which became increasingly fraught as WikiLeaks' influence grew.Disney greenlights new "Star Wars" animated series "Star Wars Rebels" takes place between the events of "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" and "Episode IV: A New Hope".Shanghai Film Festival jury announced The fest announced that Oliver Stone will be receiving an Outstanding Achievement honorary award at the festival this year. |
