EU, worried about Iran’s nuclear program, imposes new sanctions; TV sanctions also take effect
AP
15-Oct-2012

LUXEMBOURG — The European Union, concerned by what it called Iran’s refusal to come clean on its nuclear program, imposed a new range of sanctions Monday intended to hit the country’s treasury and increase pressure on its Islamic regime.

A leading European satellite provider, meanwhile, took 19 Iranian television and radio broadcasters off the air Monday — a cutoff due to earlier sanctions. The move prompted accusations of censorship and threats to sue from Iranian state television.

A statement by the EU foreign ministers said they had approved “additional restrictive measures in the financial, trade, energy and transport sectors” against Iran as well as imposing asset freezes and trade restrictions on more companies, notably those “active in the oil and gas industry.”

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the ministers had banned the import of Iranian natural gas into EU nations.

The EU ministers also agreed to prohibit all transactions between EU and Iranian banks unless they were authorized in advance for humanitarian reasons and tightened restrictions on the Central Bank of Iran, according to the statement said.

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