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Iran, one of the world's biggest oil suppliers and a member of OPEC, has faced problems over its oil sales to major Asian buyers as international sanctions aimed at crimping its nuclear programme affect payments. On Monday, the European Union banned imports of oil from Iran and imposed a number of other economic sanctions, joining the United States in new measures. Iran's Mehr news agency reported in November that the Islamic nation had halted oil exports to Pakistan after a refiner failed to obtain financing due to sanctions.