EU considers sanctions against Iranian banks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) European governments are considering a new round of sanctions against Iran over canada goose black friday sale its nuclear programme that could be implemented in October and substantially curtail trade with the Islamic Republic and hit its banking industry, diplomats say.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius speaks with journalists upon his arrival at Beirut international airport August canada goose uk shop 16, 2012. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
The push comes at a time when tensions buy canada goose jacket cheap between Iran and Israel are rising, threatening uk canada goose outlet to engulf the Middle East in a new war, and diplomatic efforts to resolve the decade long dispute over Iran nuclear work have foundered.
In response, governments in Europe and the United canada goose clearance States are making a new push to buy canada goose jacket persuade Tehran canada goose coats to scale back the enrichment of uranium, believed to be part of Tehran programme to build a nuclear bomb. Iran denies any military intentions and says it seeks to increase energy supplies with nuclear power.
Foreign ministers Canada Goose Parka of France, Germany and Britain asked their EU counterparts to agree on new measures by their canada goose store next policy meeting on October 15, in a joint letter sent in recent days.
must let Iran know that we have not exhausted canada goose factory sale our options, Laurent Fabius, Guido Westerwelle and William Hague wrote in the letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.
The three ministers listed energy, finance, trade and transportation as the sectors to target.
European diplomats said several proposals for specific measures have circulated in Brussels in recent days, including moves to close loopholes in sanctions against the Iranian central Canada Goose online bank agreed this year. No decisions have yet been taken.
More commercial banks could also be added to the lists of companies targeted by EU asset freezes, several diplomats said, canada goose uk black friday without identifying any institutions. Sanctions imposed by Washington target roughly a dozen more banks than EU measures, which could Canada Goose sale be expanded to add these.
A number of shipping companies are also being uk canada goose considered as new sanction targets, diplomats said. government officially linked to Tehran Islamic Revolutionary canada goose clearance sale Guard Corps on Monday.
STEP BY STEP European governments have already taken major steps to put pressure on Iran, such canadian goose jacket as an oil embargo, to get it to comply with international demands that it abandon enrichment of uranium linked website Canada Goose Outlet https://www.canadagooseoutlete.com , believed to be part of programme to build nuclear weapons.
But experts say the current sanctions leave plenty of leeway for Iranian firms to operate in Europe, partly because European sanctions tend to pick cheap canada goose uk specific targets rather than impose sweeping bans.
Transactions with the Iranian Canada Goose Jackets central bank, which settles most trade payments, are allowed if they are linked to legitimate trade, for example.
Targeting specific companies cheap Canada Goose accused of financing Tehran nuclear proliferation activities also means that firms can evade sanctions by spinning off new ones.
Britain is pushing for a ban Canada Goose Coats On Sale on trade with Iran in any energy related sector, which could help close such loopholes.
Iranians spin out new companies and the Europeans play catch up. It would be more effective to have a blanket ban, said Mark Dubowitz, head Canada Goose Outlet of the non profit canada goose Foundation for Defense of Democracies in the United States, which pushes for tough sanctions on Iran.
Diplomats said talks between the EU Canada Goose Online 27 members are at a preliminary stage, meaning new proposals are expected. But discussions will likely be heated, with many capitals concerned about the impact of any new sanctions on economies battered by a canada goose coats on sale three canada goose uk outlet year debt crisis.