EU offering to back Iran as major oil route -France

The European Union has offered to back Iran as a major supply route for oil between Central Asia and Europe as part of proposals to encourage Tehran to freeze its nuclear work, France’s foreign minister said on Sunday.

Iran said on Friday the EU’s package — which it rejected as unacceptable — included an offer to support it as the main oil transit route from Central Asia.

Such an offer was not contained in a summary of the EU plan described by an EU diplomat as containing “all the substance of the full proposals”, although it did say the EU is prepared to declare Iran a long-term source of oil and gas.

But French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy appeared on Sunday to confirm that an offer to back Iran as a key oil transit route had been made.

Reuters AlertNet