Tehran condemns EU’s new sanctions
By Sara Rajabova
Iran has slammed the European Union for imposing fresh sanctions on a number of Iranian entities.
Foreign Ministry said new sanctions on the Iranian institutions and companies despite the ongoing negotiations between representatives of Iran, the US and the EU in the Omani capital, Muscat are questionable.
“Under the circumstances that the nuclear negotiations are going on and efforts by the negotiating parties are underway to reach an acceptable agreement, this move by the European Union is questionable and contradicts the purpose of talks and the opposite side’s commitments,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on November 9, Press TV reported.
Afkham’s remarks came after the Council of the EU announced on November 7 that the bloc has imposed sanctions on Iran’s Sina Bank, Power Plants’ Equipment Manufacturing Company, Naftiran Intertrade Company (a.k.a. Naftiran Trade Company) (NICO), and Naftiran Intertrade Company Srl.
It added that an Iranian businessman, Sorinet Commercial Trust Bankers, and Sharif University of Technology should be included again in the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures on the basis of a new statement of reasons.
Afkham added that EU’s move to impose bans on a number of Iranian entities was sign of “unusual insistence” on EU’s past policies and an “astonishing move” at the current juncture.
Iran has voiced objection to the European Union through its embassy in Brussels.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, US Secretary of State John Kerry and the EU’s representative, Catherine Ashton, kicked off trilateral talks in the Omani capital, Muscat, on November 9 to exchange views on the outstanding issues hindering a final deal on Tehran’s civilian nuclear work.
The recent talks are part of preparation for formal negotiations in Vienna on November 18 between Iran and the group known as P5 + 1 - Germany, Russia, China, France, the U.K. and the U.S.
Differences remain over the scope of the country’s uranium enrichment program, how and when to lift economic sanctions, and how long Iran’s nuclear program must remain under international inspections and safeguards.
The U.S and EU imposed sanctions on Iran's oil and financial sectors at the beginning of 2012 under the pretext of potential deviation toward non-civilian purposes in Iran's nuclear energy program. Iran has repeatedly denied the Western allegations against its nuclear energy program.
The sanctions are aimed to prevent other countries from purchasing Iranian oil and conducting transactions with the Central Bank of Iran. At the end of 2012, the EU foreign ministers reached an agreement on another round of sanctions against Iran.