Reuters: The European Union said on Monday it had agreed no new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, apparently contradicting British statements announcing new measures on its financial and energy sectors.
LUXEMBOURG, June 16 (Reuters) – The European Union said on Monday it had agreed no new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, apparently contradicting British statements announcing new measures on its financial and energy sectors.
Speaking after talks with President George W. Bush in London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown earlier announced EU moves to freeze the overseas assets of the biggest bank in Iran and to launch action against Iran's oil and gas industries.
A British diplomat said the measures had been agreed by EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday and would be implemented within days, but an EU spokeswoman said ministers had not even discussed sanctions.
"There was no discussion of sanctions today. I know nothing about that," said Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana who this weekend presented Iran with an updated offer of incentives by major world powers to halt enrichment.
Tehran again ruled out suspending enrichment. It rejects suspicions it is building the atom bomb, insisting its nuclear programme is intended only for civilian purposes.
A spokeswoman for the Slovenian EU presidency also said she was not aware of any agreement on Monday on sanctions. (Reporting by Mark John and Paul Taylor)
