EU adopts tougher sanctions against Iran
Published: Friday, August 08, 2008
11:35GMT—7:35AM/EST
EU – IRAN – SANCTIONS – NUCLEAR
Washington, 8 August (IranVNC)—The European Union announced today that it will implement new sanctions against Iran, going above and beyond the latest United Nations Security Council [UNSC] resolution on the Islamic Republic.
The EU measure revises language contained in UNSC resolution 1803, which was adopted in March 2008 and had called on states to “exercise vigilance in entering new commitments for public provided financial support for trade with Iran.” The EU measure goes further, urging its 27 member states to exercise “restraint”.
The measure, which was agreed on last month by EU diplomats, also told member states to exercise “vigilance” over the activities of Iranian financial institutions in their jurisdiction, in particular with one of Iran’s largest banks, Bank Saderat.
Additionally, member states have been asked to “exercise vigilance” in dealing with with financial entities “that are neither domiciled in Iran nor within the jurisdiction of the Member States but are controlled by persons and entities domiciled in Iran.”
The United States and Britain said on Wednesday that major powers agreed to consider further UN sanctions against Iran after that country failed to provide a positive respond to an incentives package the six powers had offered it in return for suspension of uranium enrichment. Russia has said that there was no firm agreement.
Russia and China, both permanent members of the Security Council, have been reluctant to impose additional sanctions against Iran. Moscow and Beijing’s resistance has frustrated Washington, which has been forced to soften past UN resolutions against Iran.
Speaking at the Friday Prayer in Tehran today, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani urged the two countries to stand firm against US and UK demands for another round of sanctions.
“The 5+1 group had meetings and are seeking new sanctions, but of course there are differences among them and it is expected that China and Russia, which until now have resisted on this issue, would make further efforts,” the semi-official ISNA quotes Kashani as saying.
He added: “The world also expects China and Russia to stand firm and serious and not allow them [the U.S. and Britain] to pursue their evil goals.”
Sources: European Union Council website, ISNA in Persian
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