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US will impose fresh sanctions on Tehran
[Al Arabiya Latest] The U.S. government will impose new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program that will target "individuals and institutions," a senior State Department official said Wednesday.The official told reporters on the condition of anonymity he was aware the U.S. Treasury Department was to announce new financial restrictions on Iran and that "they will be focused on individuals and institutions." He said the formal announcement will be made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the treasury's undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey and the State Department's special advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control, Robert Einhorn. The official gave no other details but President Barack Obama's administration had promised to take further steps of its own after the UN Security Council last week slapped new military and financial sanctions on Tehran. European Union foreign ministers meanwhile on Monday proposed new sanctions going further than UN restrictions, in a bid to pressure Iran over its nuclear program. The measures, which also cover the oil and gas industry, with transport and banking or insurance curbs, will now go forward to an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday for final approval. The foreign ministers who met in Luxembourg said the EU would seek to prohibit new investment as well as the transfers of technologies, equipment and services. Tehran says its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes, but Israel and Western powers fear it may be trying to develop nuclear weapons that would tip the balance of power in the Middle East. Posted by: Fred 2010-06-17 |
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