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Oil traders work on the floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange on February 15, 2012 in New York City. Iran reportedly cut oil exports to six European countries. Oil has risen to its highest point in a month (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Iran said on Wednesday it is cutting off oil exports to six European countries to respond to the most recent sanctions placed on it by the European Union, according to state-run television. There were conflicting reports, which said Iran would still export oil to the countries.
The six countries include Spain, Italy, France, Greece, the Netherlands, and Portugal, state-run Press TV said.
The Iranian oil ministry told Reuters that state media reports were false and it was not halting exports to the European nations. “We deny this report. … If such a decision is made, it will be announced by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council,” a ministry spokesperson said.
According to the semi-official Fars News Agency, six envoys to those European nations were asked to meet at the foreign ministry on Wednesday.
“The hurried decision by EU states to use oil as a political tool will have a negative impact on the world economy and specially on the recovering European economies, which are fighting to overcome the global financial crisis,” the Iranian oil ministry said in a statement, according to Fars.
EU member states came to an agreement last month to place sanctions on Iranian oil imports and freeze assets belonging to Iran’s central bank.
