Brussels: The European Union is eyeing
sanctions on some 200 Iranian firms and individuals as Western
nations tighten the screws on Tehran over its contested
nuclear programme, diplomatic sources said Tuesday.
The new measures would be announced by EU foreign
ministers meeting in Brussels on December 1, the sources said.
"More than 200 extra names are to be added to the list"
of sanctions against Iran, said one EU diplomat who asked not
to be identified.
Another diplomat said EU nations were debating whether to
also target "new areas and industry sectors" but that no
decision had been taken as yet.
Asked if EU nations were split over such economic
sanctions, the source said: "They're not divided over
sanctions on entities and individuals."
The discussions take place as the United States, Britain
and Canada this week splapped new sanctions on Iran because of
a report by the UN atomic energy watchdog strongly suggesting
Tehran was researching nuclear weapons.
Iran and ally Russia blasted the measures against the
nation's financial, petrochemical and energy sectors. Tehran
dubbed them "propaganda and psychological warfare," while
Moscow said they were "unacceptable and against international
law."
The United States and its allies cited a November 8
report by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency
asserting "credible" evidence of Iranian research programmes
for nuclear weapons as justification for their new sanctions.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 22:35