Iran’s president denies making threats about oil

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Iran’s president denied telling a newspaper that his government might curtail oil sales if Iran is referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions over its nuclear program.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “never had an interview, either oral or written, with the Khaleej Times,” the president’s office said in a statement late Saturday.

Earlier in the day, the Dubai-based newspaper reported that Ahmadinejad threatened to curb oil sales or limit nuclear inspections in response to last month’s resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The resolution warned Iran it would be referred to the U.N. Security Council unless it allayed fears about its nuclear program.

“If Iran’s case is sent to the Security Council, we will respond by many ways, for example, by holding back on oil sales or limiting inspections of our nuclear facilities,” Ahmadinejad said, according to the newspaper.

The president’s office denied this, saying: “Such a claim is nothing more than a mere fabrication.”

The Khaleej Times could not contacted about the denial after hours Saturday. Its Web site carried the interview without any mention of Ahmadinejad’s rebuttal, which was published by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Iran pumps about 4 million barrels daily, making it the second-largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries after Saudi Arabia.

The United States does not purchase Iranian oil, but it would be affected by a substantial Iranian curtailment of oil supplies as that would raise the price of oil on the world market.