Iran slams talk of more sanctions as ‘irresponsible’

IRAN: Iran on Sunday hit out at talk of more EU sanctions being applied against it as “irresponsible,” singling out Britain for raising the prospect it claimed went against UN nuclear watchdog regulations.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast issued a statement relayed by state broadcaster IRIB calling Western sanctions “ineffective” and “obsolete.” He was reacting to comments made by EU foreign ministers, meeting in Cyprus on Saturday, who said a “growing consensus” was forming to impose new punitive measures on Iran to pressure it further to make concessions on its disputed nuclear programme.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said after the meeting that existing EU sanctions were having “a serious impact” but it was “necessary to increase the pressure on Iran, to intensify sanctions.” Britain would urge EU governments to agree a new round of sanctions -- targeting the energy sector and trade -- at the next meeting of EU foreign ministers in mid-October, a diplomatic source at the meeting told AFP.

Hague's German and French counterparts echoed that position, underlining EU frustration that talks this year between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group -- Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia and China -- had gone nowhere.

Mehmanparast homed in on Britain's position, saying: “The recent remarks by the British foreign secretary calling for increasing sanctions against Iran are irresponsible.” He said they “violate” International Atomic Energy Agency regulations.

AFP