DUBAI, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Iran's oil minister said foreignoil companies that owe his country billions of dollars arelikely to settle their debts in euros.
Greece's Hellenic Petroleum, Italy's Saras and Royal Dutch Shell owe Iran about $4billion which will be paid back in euros, Iranian Oil MinisterBijan Zangeneh was cited by the ministry's news agency Shana assaying on Tuesday.
Shell has said it was ready to settle its debts to Iran, butGreece's Hellenic Petroleum is having trouble to pay Iran backand "alternative methods are being worked out", Zanganeh said,according to Shana. He did not elaborate.
He also said Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), Japan andNetherlands have started settling their debts to Iran's centralbank.
Iran wants to recover tens of billions of dollars it is owedby buyers of its oil in euros and is billing new crude sales ineuros, too, looking to reduce its dependence on the U.S. dollarfollowing last month's sanctions relief.
A source at state-owned National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) toldReuters last week that Iran will charge in euros for itsrecently signed oil contracts with firms including French oiland gas major Total, Spanish refiner Cepsa and Litasco, the trading arm of Russia's Lukoil. (Reporting by Rania El Gamal; Editing by Sandra Maler)