Iran won’t 'confirm nor deny' Russian oil-for-goods deal
The Iranian oil minister's refusal to confirm an alleged Russian oil-for-goods program has increased speculation about the controversial deal condemned by US officials.
Iran’s oil minister refused to answer questions about reports of a $20 billion oil-for-goods program with Russia.
“I will neither confirm nor deny this topic,” Bijan Zanganeh told reporters when asked at the funeral of former president Mohammad Khatami’s wife’s father. When asked if the deal exists at all, Zanganeh said, “We do not even have a bartering deal.”
Zanganeh’s contradictory responses shows the sensitivity of Iranian officials about speaking of this deal. Most Iranian media outlets chose the “neither confirm nor deny” comments for their headlines. Some did not even cover his response that a bartering deal does not exist.
The Russian business daily Kommersant has also reported that Russian ministers are currently reviewing the controversial deal. The Russian ambassador to Iran had confirmed the news to Iranian media in March, however.
