In a series of remarks rarely heard from Iran's political elites, First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri lamented Washington's onerous sanctions and how they are tightening the noose around Iran's economy. "The Americans have in the true sense blocked the key bottlenecks of our country's economy," Jahangiri told an exports conference in Tehran Dec. 2.
"Even allies fear buying Iranian oil" due to US pressure, he said, which has forced Iran to get its crude shipped out through unconventional ways. The Reformist politician, however, took pride in the fact that despite all the roads closed off, Iran has managed "to stand on its own feet."
