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Iran says that Britain, Germany and the United Arab Emirates are refusing to provide fuel to Iranian passenger planes.

The move, which has not been confirmed, follows unilateral sanctions imposed by the US, the Isna news agency reported.

Iran is facing tougher sanctions designed to impede the development of its nuclear programme.

Tehran says its nuclear industry is for peaceful purposes but Western powers fear it is trying to develop a bomb.

"Since
last week, our planes have been refused fuel at airports in Britain,
Germany and UAE because of the sanctions imposed by America," Mehdi
Aliyari, secretary of the Iranian Airlines Union, told the news agency.

He said the national carrier Iran Air and Mahan Airlines had both run into refuelling problems.

"Refusing to provide fuel to Iranian passenger planes by these countries is violation of international conventions," he added.

'Retaliation'

Iranian lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said Iran would retaliate.

"Iran will do the same to ships and planes of those countries that cause problems for us," Isna quoted him as saying.

However,
a spokeswoman for the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) told Reuters
that it was continuing to supply Iranian jets with fuel.

ADAC manages the airports for the cities of Abu Dhabi an... >>>