'US fuel sanctions move will fail'

TEHERAN: A senior Iranian oil official said yesterday a move by US lawmakers to target the Islamic Republic with fuel sanctions would not cause any problems because Teheran had many suppliers.

On Tuesday, the US House of Representatives approved legislation to impose sanctions on foreign companies that help to supply fuel to Iran, a measure lawmakers hope will deter the country from pursuing its nuclear program. The Senate is likely to approve a similar bill.

"They cannot succeed," said Hojjatollah Ghanimifard, a vice president at the state National Iranian Oil Company. "We have a long list of suppliers of gasoline," he said.