TEHRAN, Iran (AP)

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says his country will continue exporting crude oil despite U.S. efforts to stop it through sanctions.

Speaking to a group of oil officials on Tuesday, Rouhani said the U.S. is targeting oil exports as part of efforts to reimpose sanctions on Iran.

"We will continue by all means to both produce and export" oil, Rouhani said in remarks broadcast on state TV. "Oil is in the frontline of confrontation and resistance."

The U.S. wants to reduce Iran's oil exports effectively to zero with renewed sanctions in November after pulling out of the nuclear deal between Iran and western powers in May.

It's unclear, however, how much the U.S.'s allies will cut back on Iranian oil imports.