Oil price rises again on Iran fears, Greek bailout On Sunday, Iran announced a retaliatory halt in oil sales to French and British companies, a largely symbolic step as exports to the two countries were already greatly reduced. "Sabre-rattling on the part of Iran is continuing to lend support to the price ... which 'punishes' all EU countries for their boycott decision," said Carsten Fritsch of Commerzbank. The euro oil price is just below its mid-2008 record high, he said. Iran kept up the pressure today, saying it might stop exporting to European countries that have not clarified their position on oil imports. But Iran's biggest customers in Europe have already made substantial voluntary cuts ahead of the EU embargo. Users of Iranian crude in Asia have also trimmed imports before enforecement of the West's tighter sanctions that aim to starve the Islamic Republic of oil revenue, which supports its controversial nuclear programme. Top buyer China will import less oil from Iran this year and Iran's third-largest customer Japan is likely to reduce imports from Tehran to win waivers from US sanctions.