U.S. Turns Down 20 Million Barrells Of Oil From Iran For Hurricane Aid

U.S. turns down Iran's offer of hurricane aid

http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=3&nid=3843

Updated: September 7, 2005

STATE DEPARTMENT (AP) - Iran's offer to the United States of 20 million barrels of crude oil in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has been rejected.

The State Department says the proposal was turned down because Iran wanted the U.S. to lift trade sanctions in exchange for the oil.

Last week, Iran's Foreign Ministry offered to send relief supplies to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief. Iranian newspapers reported that no response to that proposal was received.

The gesture was seen as a reciprocal move for U.S. supplies sent to Iran after some 26,000 people were killed by an earthquake in 2003.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)