British airline faces fuel cutback

Washington Post: In retaliation for an agreement between the United States and European oil companies that has made it impossible for Iran’s national airline to refuel its planes in most of Europe, the Islamic republic has stopped fully providing fuel to the only British airline flying to Tehran.

The Washington Post

Tuesday, October 26, 2010; A8

Iran
British airline faces fueling restrictions

In retaliation for an agreement between the United States and European oil companies that has made it impossible for Iran’s national airline to refuel its planes in most of Europe, the Islamic republic has stopped fully providing fuel to the only British airline flying to Tehran.

British Midlands International, which operates daily flights between London and Tehran, said Monday that Iranian airline authorities have stopped fully refueling.

Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi confirmed that retaliatory measures had been taken but did not provide details, the semiofficial Fars News Agency reported Sunday. Rahimi echoed other Iranian officials by saying the U.S.-backed measures were illegal.

Other major European airlines fear that the Iranian countermeasures are the start of more jet fuel restrictions. Airline experts say the halts in fueling are costing time and money and lead to a disruption of transfer flight schedules. Eventually, they could lead to flight cancellations, which would further isolate Iranians already facing challenges caused by sanctions designed to force the country to abandon what the West suspects is an attempt to build an atomic bomb. Iran says its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful.

– Thomas Erdbrink