Private Iranian tanker operator NITC is storing crude oil on two tankers at sea which will discharge in the coming days, said NITC chairman Mohammad Souri.

"If we are talking about the number of NITC tankers at the moment, it is only two for crude oil. There are a few other ships for other purposes that is mainly condensate and not for crude oil," he told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday during a visit to London.

"These two ships are going to discharge within a week."

Souri said the recent sanctions imposed by the West on Iran's petroleum imports were not having any impact on the group's business.

Souri said NITC, which was fully privatised in 2000, was not involved "in any way" in the import of petroleum products into Iran.

"It is therefore unaffected by sanctions and remains a legitimate business partner for companies in the EU and elsewhere," he said.

Souri, who is also NITC's managing director, said there was no impact on crude sales from Iran as a result of Western pressure.-Reuters