* Sasol says found alternative to Iran product
* Iran is leading crude supplier to Africa’s biggest economy
By Jon Herskovitz
PRETORIA, March 22 (Reuters) – South Africa has suspended
almost all oil imports from Iran, its biggest crude supplier, in
response to U.S. diplomatic pressure, a senior diplomat said on
Thursday, adding Pretoria was unhappy about being strong-armed
by Washington.
Iran accounts for about 29 percent of oil imports to
Africa’s biggest economy, according to the U.S. Energy
Information Administration, making it tough to switch suppliers.
“(To my knowledge), no Iranian oil is flowing into our
country,” deputy foreign minister Ebrahim Ebrahim told a news
conference. “If there is any, it is very little.”
The comments raised some eyebrows in the industry after
energy minister Dipuo Peters said only last week the country
would take until the end of May to formulate a plan for
replacing Iranian crude.
Her department was not immediately available for comment.
Avhapfani Tshifularo, executive director at the South
African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA), said it was hard
to believe how Ebrahim’s comments could be correct given what
the minister and her department said last week.
Continued…
