LONDON/TEHRAN (Agencies)
Britain ordered financial firms on Monday to halt all business relations with two Iranian companies because of concerns that they were involved in helping to develop nuclear weapons.
The order applies to Iran's Bank Mellat and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.
" Iran continues to pursue its proliferation sensitive nuclear and ballistic missile activities in defiance of five U.N. Security Council Resolutions " Treasury A statement issued by the Treasury said it welcomed recent talks between six world powers and Iran on the nuclear issue but that action was needed now on the two businesses.
"... Iran continues to pursue its proliferation sensitive nuclear and ballistic missile activities in defiance of five U.N. Security Council Resolutions," the Treasury said.
"On the particular entities in question, vessels of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) have transported goods for both Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programs."
"Similarly, Bank Mellat has provided banking services to a U.N. listed organization connected to Iran's proliferation sensitive activities, and been involved in transactions related to financing Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program," it added.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Treasury minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry said the measure was taken because Bank Mellat had provided services to an organisation "connected to Iran's proliferation-sensitive activities."
The shipping firm had "transported goods for both Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes," she added. |
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Decsision dismissed " The new decision by the British government needs further study, but past experience shows that imposing any kind of sanctions against Iran will benefit the Iranian nation in the end " Ali Akbar Javanfekr, a madviser to President Ahmadinejad Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official dismissed on Monday Britain's a decision.
"The new decision by the British government needs further study, but past experience shows that imposing any kind of sanctions against Iran will benefit the Iranian nation in the end," Ali Akbar Javanfekr, a media adviser to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, told Reuters.
"If the British government decided to impose sanctions against Iran this would show that Britain is getting far from the realities of the current world and such a trend will be against the interests of the British people," he said.
The order was not part of existing U.N. sanction against Iran but was taken under the Counter Terrorism Act 2008. Its publication coincided with the return of lawmakers to parliament after their long summer break. |
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