Iran stops oil sales to British, French companies

Iran has stopped selling crude to British and French companies, the oil ministry said on Sunday.   

"Exporting crude to British and French companies has been stopped ... we will sell our oil to new customers," spokesman Alireza Nikzad was quoted as saying by the ministry of petroleum website.   

The move appeared to be in retaliation for a decision by the European Union in January to stop importing crude from Iran from July 1 over its disputed nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at building bombs. Iran denies this.  

Iran's oil minister said on Feb. 4 that the Islamic state would cut its oil exports to "some" European countries.   

"We have our own customers ... The replacements for these companies have been considered by Iran," Nikzad said.

Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister said on Sunday that the next round of talks between Iran and six world powers on the country's nuclear program will be held in Istanbul, Turkey.
 
Ali Akbar Salehi made the comments during a press conference in Tehran Sunday. He didn't give any timing for the talks.
 
The last round of talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany were held in Istanbul in Jan. 2011 but ended in failure.