Iran says cannot switch crude sales into euros

TEHRAN, June 5 (Reuters) Iran will continue to price its oil sales in dollars but can receive payment in other foreign currency needed by the central bank, Iranian Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hameneh said on Monday.

''Although pricing is in dollars, our receipts can be in any foreign exchange,'' he was quoted as saying by the ISNA students' news agency.

When asked about discussions over pricing oil in euros, held on the sidelines of an OPEC meeting in Venezuela, Vaziri-Hameneh said: ''Currently, because basic pricing is in dollars, it is not possible to make such a change.'' The Mehr news agency carried a separate quote saying the world's fourth biggest crude producer had already received payment in ''any foreign exchange'' needed by the central bank for several months.

However, this quote was not carried by other agencies and it was not immediately possible to confirm this detail with the oil ministry or the central bank.

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said last month that his country might price its oil in euros.

REUTERS PV PM1549