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| Europe |
| Europe set to announce ban on Iranian oil, Hague says |
| 2012-01-15 |
| Europe will agree sanctions banning the purchase of oil from Iran by the end of the month, William Hague, the foreign secretary, said on Sunday as Saudi Arabia promised it could boost output to make up the shortfall. Mr Hague was speaking as part of what appeared to be a concerted ramping up of pressure on Iran from the EU. His German and French counterparts sent the same message in separate interviews, insisting that the Iranian regime was continuing its work on nuclear weapons and additionally threatening to block dealings with its Central Bank. He repeated long-standing government policy that military action was being neither ruled in or out, but said: "This is an increasingly dangerous situation that Iran is developing a military nuclear programme. "Our sanctions are part of getting Iran to change course and to enter negotiations." |
| Posted by:tipper |