* Iranian state agency Press TV announces the halting of exports towards the EU, but the officials in Tehran deny the information
Oil prices rose yesterday, on the London and New York Exchanges, after a press agency of Iran announced that the country cancelled its oil deliveries to six EU member states, and the US Department of Energy said that American oil inventories fell.
The announcement made by Iranian state-owned press agency Press TV concerning the halting of oil exports to France, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Holland and Spain yesterday caused the price of oil to rise almost 2%, but the rise was capped after the Ministry of Oil in Tehran denied the information.
The price of oil with March delivery rose 1% 10:48 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, to 101.74 dollars barrel.
On the ICE Futures in London, the price of Brent crude with March delivery rose 1.4%, to 118.94 dollars/barrel.
The Ministry of oil in Iran informed that, if an official decision on the prohibition of oil exports were made in Tehran, the Supreme National Security Council would make an announcement on that matter. "We deny this information (ed. note: concerning the restriction on oil exports). If such a decision were made, then it would be announced by the Supreme National Security Council", a spokesperson of the Ministry of Oil said yesterday, quoted by Reuters.
On the other hand, however, Iranian press agency Fars yesterday informed that Tehran asked the ambassadors of Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Portugal and Holland to protest in their respective countries for the sanctions which the EU will impose against Iran due to its nuclear program.
Iran recently threatened that it would resort to halting the deliveries of oil in response to the embargo which the EU would place on importing crude from the Islamic country, starting July 1st.
Analy
