Iran insists its nuclear work has
only peaceful dimensions and has refused in three rounds of talks since April
to scale it back unless major economic sanctions are lifted.
But governments in Europe and the
United States have refused to do so and, instead, are tightening the financial
screws against Tehran as fears grow that the nuclear dispute could envelop the
Middle East in a new war.
Iran's nuclear interlocutors --
Germany, France, Britain, United States, China and Russia -- asked Tehran this year to
abandon the enrichment of uranium to 20 percent, a crucial technological step
on route to producing an atom bomb.
Tehran's refusal has lead Israel,
widely understood to be the only nuclear power in the Middle East, to threaten
to bomb its nuclear installations.
At Monday's Luxembourg meeting,
foreign ministers will also extend measures levied against Belarus over human
rights abuses, and approve a new round of sanctions against Syria to pressure President Bashar al-Assad to
halt violence against rebels.
On Sunday night, EU foreign
ministers dined with Sergei Lavrov, foreign minister of Russia, a long-time supplier of arms to Assad's
government - though Lavrov said in June that Moscow is not delivering offensive
weapons to Syria.
SANCTIONS PUSH
The new sanctions on Iran mark a
significant change of policy for the European Union which has focused in the
past on targeting specific people and companies with economic restrictions.
It has traditionally lagged the
United States in imposing blanket industry bans, wary of punishing citizens
while inflicting pain on governments.
But pressure on Iran is already
doing significant damage to its economy, in part due to an oil embargo levied
by the EU this year and Washington's new financial sanctions.
Earlier this month, riots broke out
in protest against the collapse of the rial currency, which has lost some two
thirds of its value against the dollar in the last year.
IRAN REAX
Tough new European Union sanctions on Iran will not force Tehran back into negotiations with world powers over its nuclear programme, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.
"We think the error in calculation which these countries are pursuing will distance them from a favourable result," said Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman. "We recommend that instead of taking the wrong approach and being stubborn and using pressure...with a logical approach they can return to discussions."
The European Union agreed further sanctions against Iran's banking, shipping, and industrial sectors on Monday, cranking up financial pressure on Tehran in the hope of drawing it into serious negotiations on its nuclear programme. The West suspects Iran is aiming to develop an atomic bomb. Tehran denies this.
CHINA REAX
China criticised the European
Union on Tuesday for imposing new sanctions on Iran over its
controversial nuclear programme, calling again for talks to
resolve the stand-off.
The EU governments' sanctions target major Iranian state
companies in the oil and gas industry, and strengthen
restrictions on the central bank, cranking up pressure on the
country which has close trade ties with Beijing.
China is Iran's largest crude oil customer and, along with
Russia, has resisted putting sanctions on Tehran.
REUTERS