TEHRAN, April 10 (UPI) -- Iran, as of Tuesday, is no longer making crude oil deliveries to Greece because of issues over payment, the Iranian oil minister declared.
The semiofficial Fars News Agency reported in February that a Greek tanker returned to port empty after Iran refrained from loading the vessel.
Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi said Tuesday his country barred Hellenic Petroleum and Motor Oil Hellas from purchasing Iranian crude oil.
"Right now, Iran's oil is not exported to Greece," he was quoted by Fars as saying.
Tehran said debt-ridden Greece would be hit hard by its decision to cut oil ties.
Iran's February decision to halt crude oil exports to the United Kingdom and France sent oil prices to nine-month highs. The European Union set a July 1 deadline for an Iranian crude oil embargo, though Iranian lawmakers voted to pre-empt the EU move.
Qassemi said European sanctions had no impact on Iran and failed to "hinder Iranian oil industry's progress and might," Fars reports.
