Iran: Oil export cuts to EU 'an idea'

TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis (parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani said Sunday that his country's oil export cuts to the European Union (EU) is an idea which still needs to be discussed, the local Fars news agency reported.

"This is an idea which is being matured in the Majlis and we are discussing it in the parliament," Larijani told Fars.

Meanwhile, "we are consulting other sources" about the plan, he was quoted as saying.

In the past weeks, Iranian lawmakers said that they were discussing the issue of oil export cuts to EU with officials from the Oil Ministry.

In the future, the final opinion of the Majlis concerning the cut of oil exports to EU will be announced, Larijani said according to Fars.

"Most of the lawmakers' opinion is in favor of cutting oil exports to EU," he said.

EU leaders endorsed last week the latest restrictive sanction measures on Iran's oil exports adopted by the bloc's foreign ministers on Jan 23.

On Saturday, Iran's Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said that Tehran will definitely stop its oil exports to certain European countries. Qasemi called on the EU states to review their decision on the oil embargo on Iran, saying that EU states' oil imports from the Islamic republic "just" comprises 18 percent of its total oil exports.

Late in January, Qasemi said that "less than 20 percent of Iran 's oil exports are destined for Europe" and the EU sanctions will take a heavy toll on the European people.