Speaking at a ceremony in the southern port city of Genaveh on Thursday, Qasemi said that Iran is a major importer of South Korean commodities, and any measure to halt imports of Iranian crude will be detrimental to the Asian country’s economy.
Iranian Ambassador to Seoul Ahmad Ma’soumifar told Yonhap news agency on June 27 that Tehran "may decide to fully stop importing Korean goods" if Seoul imposes the import ban on Iranian oil.
He also said that Seoul's measure will provide "serious obstacles" to South Korean businesses exporting to Iran.
The Iranian envoy added that some Asian countries are taking measures to continue oil imports from the Middle East nation.
According to reports, South Korea purchased 9.4 percent, or about 87 million barrels, of all its oil imports from Iran last year.
South Korea's shipments to Iran also jumped 40.5 percent on-year to USD2.9 billion in the first five months of this year.
press tv/281
Iran's Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi says Tehran will review its trade relations with Seoul if South Korea suspends imports of Iranian oil from the start of European Union’s Iran oil sanctions on July 1.
News ID 182021
