Iran to develop new mechanisms to circumvent

Iran's Oil Minister, Rostam Qasemi, said Wednesday that his ministry will develop mechanisms to circumvent western sanctions, the oil and energy information network (SHANA) affiliated to the Iranian Oil Ministry reported. Emphasizing the use of new mechanisms to overcome the impact of western sanctions, Qasemi said that "I advice the managers of Iranian oil industry to make essential and necessary decisions without fear," said the report. Talking at a managerial meeting in Iran's southern Asalouyeh gas-rich zone, he said that "We should be given special authority (by the Ianian leaders) to circumvent the sanctions." "Some proposals have been forwarded (to the Ianian leaders) in this regard and we hope that they can be materialized to implement the pre-planned important objectives," he was quoted as saying. Earlier this month, Iranian Majlis approved newly nominated Rostam Qasemi as the Oil Minister. Before the approval as the oil minister, Qasemi was the head of Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base as the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC's) major engineering arm and as one of Iran's largest contractors in industrial and development projects. Iran is under expansive sanction pressures by the United States, European Union and other western countries over its controversial nuclear program, which the West believe are moving to the atomic weaponry developments. However, Tehran denied the allegations, saying that its nuclear program is for civilian and peaceful purpose.