Obama: "We are determined"
The European Bank has banned oil purchases from Iran and has frozen the actives in that country's central bank. The decision on these new sanctions was adopted during a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels, reports Voice of America.
According to the decision on setting new sanctions against Iran, EU-member states have been allowed to sign oil purchasing contracts with Iran until July 1-a step that is aimed at helping Iran's main oil buyers (Greece, Spain and Italy) find alternative routes for oil supply.
The leaders of France, Germany and Great Britain have called on Iran's leadership "to immediately put an end to the disputed nuclear program", saying that "Iran's acquisition of a nuclear weapon is inacceptable".
In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama declared that the new sanctions go to show that the international community is determined to eliminate "the serious danger that Iran presents with its nuclear program".
Iranian authorities have strictly criticized the EU's decision and have threatened to block the Hormuz Gulf.
According to the deputy head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, the Hormuz Gulf will "definitely" be blocked in case of any closure of oil export from Iran.
