The United States has renewed
180-day exceptions on Iran sanctions for Japan and 10 European Union nations
due to their continued reductions of purchases of Iranian crude oil, Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday.
Clinton said the exceptions would apply to
Japan, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the
Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Clinton, in a statement, noted that the
European Union had imposed a full ban on Iranian crude oil and petroleum
products as of July 1, and said Japan had also taken significant steps to cut
purchases from Iran, which she said was "especially notable considering
the extraordinary energy challenges it has faced in the aftermath of the
Fukushima disaster."
REUTERS