NYMEX oil back above $144 on Iran's nuclear programme

PERTH, July 7 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures rose above
$144 a barrel on Monday, hovering near record levels, on
simmering tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's
disputed nuclear programme.

* NYMEX crude for August delivery CLc1 rose 20 cents from
Friday to $144.05 a barrel in Globex electronic trading by 2326
GMT, below an all-time high of $145.85 hit on Thursday.

U.S. oil was down $1.44 at $143.85 a barrel by 1700 GMT on
Friday.

* Iran on Saturday vowed to pursue its uranium enrichment
programme despite having received a package of incentives by
world powers to curb its nuclear ambitions.

In its first public statement after Iran gave a formal
reply to the EU foreign policy chief to the package of
incentives offered on Friday, Tehran said on Saturday it had no
intention of discussing its "right to enriching uranium".
[ID:nHAF533833]

"Iran's stance has not changed (on uranium enrichment) and
we are ready to hold talks in the framework of preserving
Iran's nuclear rights," government spokesman Gholamhossein
Elham told a news conference.

* On a more positive note, Iran's foreign minister on
Sunday expressed optimism about what he said was a "new
environment" for talks with major Western powers over its
nuclear programme. [ID:nN06342982]

Foreign Minister Monouchehr Mottaki said recent discussions
over a package of incentives from major powers aimed at getting
Iran to curb its nuclear enrichment programme were "different
from the previous discussions and negotiations."

* OPEC President Chakib Khelil ruled out on Sunday an
eventual oil price fall in view of strong Chinese and Indian
demand, adding geopolitics and a weak dollar were behind the
current spike, Algeria's APS news agency reported.
[ID:nL06571373]

"Steadily rising oil prices are due to phenomena that have
nothing to do with supply and demand," Khelil, also Algerian
Energy and Mines Minister, was quoted by the state news agency
as saying in a briefing for diplomats.

* French tuna fishermen resumed their blockade of France's
Fos-Lavera oil hub on Friday to protest against the European
Commission's decision to end their fishing season early.

The fishermen had removed their boats at about 0500 GMT
after a first 24-hour blockade, according to port authorities,
but in the late afternoon fishermen's union leaders said the
boats were back blocking accesses to the port. [ID:nL04333102]

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Oil prices as of 2326 GMT
Contract Mnth Price Change Day ago pct MA-20*
NYMEX Contracts
US Crude AUG8 $144.05 -1.24 +$1.72 +1.20% $137.10
Heat Oil AUG8 406.80 -3.80 +3.45 +0.85% 387.93
RBOB AUG8 355.40 -1.70 +2.16 +0.61% 346.45
Natgas AUG8 $13.460 -0.117 +$0.188 +1.40% $12.993
ICE Contracts
Brent AUG8 $144.51 +0.09 -$1.66 -1.14% $137.21
Gasoil JUL8 -- +0.00 -$15.00 -1.14% $1255.08
Note: U.S. heating oil and RBOB gasoline contracts listed in
cents per gallon.
* = 20-day moving average for continuation month.
(Reporting by Fayen Wong)