(Adds more background.) LONDON (Dow Jones)--BP PLC (BP, BP.LN) has instructed its European operations not to refuel Iranian airlines after U.S. President Barack Obama signed sanctions targeting Iran's gasoline supplies, people familiar with the matter said Monday. The news about the U.K. oil giant comes after Iranian media said airports in the U.K., Germany and the United Arab Emirates had refused to offer fuel to Iranian passenger jets after the sanctions. BP, which is facing U.S. pressure over a huge oil spill, sent faxes to its refueling operations in some European countries--including those owned with partners--around Friday, people familiar with the faxed document said. The document ordered a ban on refueling for several Iranian airlines, including Iran Air, the people said. "It's due to a decision from the U.S. Congress," one person said. A BP spokeswoman said, "we will comply with any international sanctions that are imposed" on Iran. She said this applied to U.S. sanctions on gasoline and included refueling and operations where it has joint partners, but declined to comment further. The company's air refueling arm, Air BP, operates in Europe's main markets, including the U.K., Germany, France, Italy and Spain, according to its website. On Thursday, Obama signed a sweeping package of tough new energy and financial sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, that included targeting its gasoline supplies. But not all non-U.S. companies have decided to enforce the sanctions when it comes to refueling. A spokesman for Dubai's airport told AFP on Monday that Iranian passenger planes are still able to refuel at the airport. By Benoit Faucon, Dow Jones Newswires; +44-20-7842-9266; benoit.faucon@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 05, 2010 14:15 ET (18:15 GMT)