Reuters: A number of companies have halted business with Iran under the threat of future U.S. sanctions. March 12 (Reuters) – A number of companies have halted business with Iran under the threat of future U.S. sanctions.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said earlier this week leading Gulf states appeared ready to use their clout to lobby China to support sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme.
Following is a summary of some companies who have said this year they are cutting back their Iran dealings:
* Oil major Royal Dutch Shell has stopped gasoline sales to Iran, oil traders said on March 10. A Shell spokesman said: "Shell currently does not supply gasoline to Iran."
* Oil trading firms Trafigura and Vitol are stopping gasoline sales to Iran, industry sources said.
* Ingersoll-Rand Plc, a maker of air compressors and cooling systems for buildings and transport, said it will no longer allow subsidiaries to sell parts or products to Tehran.
* Oilfield services company Smith International said on March 1 it was actively pursuing the termination of all its activities in Iran.
* Caterpillar, the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, said on March 1 it had tightened its policy on not doing business with Iran to prevent foreign subsidiaries from selling equipment to independent dealers who resell it to Tehran.
* German insurers Munich Re and Allianz said in February they had halted all remaining insurance business in Iran.
* Reliance Industries stopped gasoline sales to Iran from its giant refining complex in May 2009. However, Malaysian state oil firm Petronas was said in February to be shipping a gasoline cargo produced by Reliance into Iran.
* German engineering conglomerate Siemens said in January it would not accept further orders from Iran.
* Glencore ceased gasoline supply to Iran in November 2009 according to traders. The Swiss-based commodities trader in January declined comment on the matter.
* BP stopped supplying Iran in 2008.
STILL DEALING WITH IRAN
* Russia's Gazprom confirmed this month it was in talks with Iran on developing the Azar oil field.
* France's Total, Malaysia's state oil firm Petronas and Kuwait's Independent Petroleum Group are among firms that continue to ship fuel to Iran, traders say.
* The New York Times reported on March 6 that a number of foreign companies had received U.S contract payments for doing business in Iran. The list included Japanese carmaker Mazda and South Korean engineering group Daelim Industrial.
* New York-based pressure group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) has pressured companies to stop serving Iran. Its website lists 200 companies targeted over their dealings with Iran, including names such as Honeywell International, Advanced Micro Devices and Coca-Cola Co.
(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by David Holmes)
