BREAKING NEWS

France to put unilateral ban on Iranian oil imports

PARIS - France will stop importing Iranian oil at a national level as part of a proposal it made to its allies to consider ending purchases from the world's fifth largest producer, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Asked by Reuters whether the French government would force French oil major Total to stop its crude shipping business with Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said in a written answer, posted on the ministry's website:
"The interruption of Iranian oil purchases is among the measures proposed by France to its partners. We will apply this at a national level."
France turned to Iranian oil in the first half of the year to make up for disruption during the Libyan war. Last year, Iran supplied 2.8 percent of French oil imports, or 1.8 million tons.