| Iran Cuts Oil Exports to UK , France Iran has stopped oil exports to British and French companies , the Islamic republic 's oil ministry said on Sunday . A statement the ministry 's website that Iran , OPEC 's second biggest oil producer after Saudi Arabia , would sell oil to " new customers . " Iran 's English-language television station Press TV said the move was " in line with the decision to end crude exports to six European states . " The European Union said last month it would stop importing Iranian crude from July 1 in a bid to force Iran to agree to halt its nuclear program . Western powers suspect Iran of seeking to create a nuclear bomb but Tehran insists its program is peaceful . Iranian media reported on Wednesday that Iran had cut oil exports to the Netherlands , Greece , France , Portugal , Spain and Italy in response to the EU oil embargo , but the country 's oil ministry later denied this . The 27-nation bloc currently buys about 20 percent of Iran 's oil exports . |