Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Thursday stressed oil purchase deal which Kenya signed with Iran is old and will not affect the country’s diplomatic ties with Western countries, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
Odinga said the oil deal which Kenya cancelled on Wednesday after the U.S. warned of unspecified sanctions for the dealing with Tehran is older than the recent sanctions and is not an indication that Nairobi is breaking ranks with the global community.
"No oil was procured because Iran never offered any concessions or discounts. There was no likelihood that any Kenyan company or the government was going to import Iranian oil," Odinga said during a meeting in Nairobi with visiting U.S. Congress.
Kenya’s Energy Ministry Permanent Secretary Patrick Nyoike reportedly said on Tuesday that the east African nation will import 4 million tonnes of crude oil from Iranian National Oil Company, which sparked protests from Washington.
An oil embargo by the EU took effect this week, bringing to a halt crude import to 27 countries in the region. The U.S. Congress is also expected to expand sanctions against Tehran on account of the country’s nuclear program.
For more: APA - Kenyan PM says oil deal with Iran not to affect ties with Western countries
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