Iran shipping leader says Western sanctions a huge barrier to industry

Iran shipping leader says Western sanctions a huge barrier to industry    Iran's leading shipping company has said U.S. sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program have hurt the country's shipping industry, the Aftab Yazd newspaper reported on Wednesday.
   The sanctions have driven up prices in Iran for two reasons, said a report from APF: it's difficult for Iranian flagged vessels to trade with certain countries, and cargo from foreign-flagged vessels is hit with high duties.
   'Currently, because of unfair UN sanctions and U.S. pressure on foreign ships not to cooperate with Iranian-flagged ships, we cannot have our flag on all of our vessels,' Ali Safarali, the head of Bonyad Shipping Co., told the newspaper. 'Fifty percent of imported goods are brought in by ships under foreign flags and this makes the goods more expensive than the end price.'
   The latest set of UN sanctions regarding Iran's nuclear program, which the country insists is for civilian use only, puts pressure on ships to show they are not carrying prohibited goods.