AFP, Brussels, 22 Nov 2011 – 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 slapped 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.