Airports in Britain, Germany and the United Arab Emirates have refused to offer fuel to Iranian passenger jets after unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington, ISNA news agency said on Monday.
IRNA, the official state news agency, said in a separate report that Kuwaiti airports have also declined to offer fuel to Iranian passenger planes. “Since last week, after the passing of the unilateral law by America and the sanctions against Iran, airports in England, Germany, the UAE have refused to give fuel to Iranian planes,” ISNA quoted Mehdi Aliyari, secretary of Iranian Airlines Union, as saying.
On Thursday, US President Barack Obama signed into law the toughest ever US sanctions on Iran, which he said would strike at Tehran’s capacity to finance its nuclear programme and deepen its isolation.
The measures, on top of new UN and European sanctions, aim to choke off Iran’s access to imports of refined petroleum products like gasoline and jet fuel and curb its access to the international banking system.
“With these sanctions — along with others — we are striking at the heart of the Iranian government’s ability to fund and develop its nuclear programs,” Mr Obama said at a White House ceremony, before signing the sanctions into law. “We are showing the Iranian government that its actions have consequences, and if it persists, the pressure will continue to mount, and its isolation will continue to deepen. There should be no doubt — the US and the international community are determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.” World powers suspect Tehran is making nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian atomic programme.