Iran can overcome sanctions -- official

TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Sanctions targeting gasoline suppliers to Iran would fall short of their objectives as the country has the ability to meet its needs, the oil minister said.

Iranian Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari said any new round of U.S.-backed sanctions on gasoline exports to Iran were an inefficient deterrent.

In statements to the semiofficial Fars New Agency, Nozari said Tehran had taken the appropriate measures to make sure the country could meet its gasoline needs.

"Iran possesses one of the greatest oil reserves in the world, therefore no country can impose sanctions on Iran's gasoline," the minister said.

U.S. lawmakers have pushed for tough new sanctions on the Iranian energy sector to punish Tehran for its nuclear ambitions and belligerence toward Israel.

"We have sanctions options, both multilaterally, bilaterally, and we'll continue to employ those to demonstrate the determination of the international community that it's Iran has to change course and an Iran that has a fundamental change to make," U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said earlier this month.

Seyfollah Jashnsaz, managing director at the National Iranian Oil Co., told the news agency Tehran had a variety of options to get around any new sanctions.

"In the event the sanction bill against the companies that provide Iran with gasoline and oil products is approved, Iran will have no concerns for supplying its needed gasoline," he said.