DUSHANBE, March 28, Asia-Plus - Americans are afraid of the possible opening of the euro-based oil exchange in Iran even more than of nuclear bomb, Rajab Safarov, Director General of the Center for Study of Contemporary Iran, Russian State Duma (Russia’s lower chamber of parliament), remarked at a news conference at the Tajik Center for Strategic Studies in Dushanbe on March 27.  

According to him, it has been planned that all oil deals at this exchange would be made in the European currency.  “Since Iran annually sells oil and gas as well as fuel products for an amount of not less than 100 billion U.S. dollars, if the exchange had opened this amount in the world’s dollar system would have been freed,” Mr. Safarov said.  According to him, the transition to euro from dollar in payments for oil could lead to increase in the inflation rate in the United States .  

“If the euro-based oil exchange had opened, one barrel of oil would have cost Euro 35 at this exchange, which is rather cheaper than it is currently realized.  It would the beginning of the end of the American empire,” Rajab Safarov said.   

According to him, it is in the interest of the United States to tome to an agreement with Iran .   He also does not rule the possibility that the United States has already come to understanding with Iran via mediators not to open the exchange, “or there is another variant – to make all oil deals in dollars.” 

In the meantime, Mr. Safarov noted that according to information from Iran , the exact date of the oil exchange opening was still unknown.