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US toughens sanctions on Iran
The US has toughened sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, blacklisting certain firms linked to the country's Bank Melli. The US Treasury on Tuesday blacklisted 11 companies affiliated to the country's largest state bank, including Bank Melli Iran Investment Co, Reuters reported. The sanctions ban any transactions between a US citizen or institution with the firms and seek to freeze any assets that they may have under US jurisdiction. The US has imposed unilateral financial sanctions on Iranian commercial banks including Melli, Saderat, Sepah and Mellat to pressure the country into stopping its activities. The UN Security Council has also imposed three rounds of sanctions against Iran, urging the country to halt its enrichment activities. Last week, The Financial Times reported that Britain, France and Germany were also proposing a tough list of new sanctions to be imposed against Iran. The report said that 34 Iranian entities including Iran's Bank Tejarat and 10 individuals who are believed to be connected with the country's disputed nuclear program were on the list. The UN nuclear watchdog, which conducts regular inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities, said in its latest report on the country's nuclear program that there has been no diversion of "declared nuclear material in Iran." The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), however, urged more cooperation from Tehran. Posted by: Fred 2009-03-04 |
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