ECO Chief: Sanctions Unable to Halt Iran's Progress in Energy Sector http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9001260599

Secretary-General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Mohammad Yahya Maroofi lauded Iran for its progress in the oil and gas sector irrespective of all the pressures and sanctions imposed on the country's energy sector. "Despite sanctions, Iran has managed to attract investment in the oil and gas sector by localizing technology in the special South Pars energy zone," Maroofi stated at a meeting with representatives of ECO member-states in the Iranian capital city of Tehran on Thursday. Maroofi said western-backed sanctions have failed to deter the Islamic Republic from pursuing the development of its oil and gas sector.  Despite the hostile policies and moves of the United States and its European allies, Iran has shown a promising trend of growth in science and economy. 

Iran is under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment, saying the demand is politically tainted and illogical. Yet, last year the US and the European Union approved a set of extra unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program, mostly targeting the country's energy and banking sectors, including a US boycott of gasoline supplies to Iran. But the US fuel embargo on Iran proved futile after Iran boosted domestic production, attained self-sufficiency and even exported gasoline. Iran says that western sanctions and pressures have only consolidated the Iranians' national resolve and encouraged them to reach self-sufficiency in many economic areas, including gasoline production.