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Iranian deputy foreign minister holding a press conference at the Iranian embassy in Berlin (AP) Last update - 04:26 19/04/2008 Iranian official: Asian traders make up for losses due to German sanctions By The Associated Press Tags: Iran, nuclear program  Germany's reduction in trade with Iran as part of sanctions imposed by the West is not hurting the country as competitors from Asia step in to fill the gaps, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari said Friday. The economic sanctions against Iran were put in place in efforts to discourage the Islamic Republic from developing its disputed nuclear program. Safari told reporters in Berlin that Iran's trade with Asia and Pacific nations had more than doubled over the past three years to reach about $90 billion in 2007. Advertisement "That number is expected to grow to more than $100 billion this year," he said. At the same time, trade with Germany - for decades one of Iran's most important trading partners - and with other European nations has shrunk, Safari said. "Who is losing, you have to ask yourself," Safari said. "We are doing our job." Under Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany has cut back trade with Iran as part of western-led efforts to force Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment program. German exports to Iran shrank to $5 billion in 2007 from $6.8 billion in 2006, according to figures released in February by the Economic Ministry. Yet Safari insisted that his nation sees no link between its nuclear program and the drop in trade, saying Iran had cooperated fully with the United Nation's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "We did our job with the IAEA. We did a good job, we answered all of the questions that supposedly they asked us," Safari said. While in Berlin, Safari held talks with his counterparts in Germany's Foreign Ministry, as well as with several high-ranking businessmen. "I told them please, don't lose the market," he said. "If you don't supply some of the parts, we will substitute them and it will be very hard to come back." The opposition pro-business Free Democrats have criticized Merkel's government for making it difficult for mid-sized German firms to do business in Iran. Asked if reports that average Iranians are starting to feel the effect of the international sanctions, Safari insisted no one in his nation was suffering. "When I said that the numbers of the trade are coming down, I didn't say that we are suffering - maybe you are suffering!" he said. "Because we can make a deal with the others for the same goods, for the same qualities and for the same projects." Related articles: Germany aims to up sanctions on Iran, Merkel tells Olmert U.K., Germany, France revise Iran sanctions draft Merkel to PM: We'll push for more Iran sanctions Top German officials slam Austrian trade ties with Iran Bookmark to del.icio.us   A gentleman's word Olmert tells Haaretz he knows Iran won't have nuclear capacity. Farewell to arms B'Tselem says IDF must ban wide-range shell that killed civilians in Gaza.   1.   pissing away western influence 21:02  |  Pablo B 18/04/08   2.   Iranians starving Germany to death 21:10  |  Citizen Zero 18/04/08   3.   "Same quality"? 21:11  |  Realist 18/04/08   4.   Outside UNSC Blockade must be implemented now 21:18  |  Yuri 18/04/08   5.   This is why Sanctions are useless against Iran 21:21  |  Kipperraes 18/04/08   6.   Sanctions are ALWAYS useless if you have money 21:35  |  Clickfool 18/04/08   7.   116 reasons why german sanctions don`t matter 22:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 18/04/08   8.   Nuclear reaction only option 23:04  |  Rightster 18/04/08   9.   This shows clearly 23:41  |  Axel 18/04/08   10.   hi, add up for clickfool 23:47  |  zouzm`a 18/04/08   11.   # rightster 01:24  |  Axel 19/04/08   12.   #8 Righster 01:52  |  Chris Linthwaite 19/04/08   13.   Axel#9 03:28  |  birgit 19/04/08   14.   axel 03:32  |  roland 19/04/08   15.   #1 Pablo 03:38  |  Patrick 19/04/08   16.   Ican`y wait 03:48  |  Roy Palmer 19/04/08   17.   Sanctions hurt more than Iran would admit. 08:13  |  Jean Van Daem 19/04/08   18.   # 14 roland 12:06  |  Axel 19/04/08   19.   #13 Birgit 14:43  |  Bruni 19/04/08   20.   The economic facts about Iran talk different . 15:03  |  Karl 19/04/08   21.   Sanctions.... 15:59  |  David Nigel Braham 19/04/08   22.   Iran Dangling Petrodollars Before The Nations` Consciences 18:39  |  Lavi 19/04/08   23.   Isreal will be destroyed 19:35  |  AntiZionist 19/04/08

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