| US imposes new sanctions on banks that help Iran sell oil |
WASHINGTON President Barack Obama announced new US sanctions on Tuesday against foreign banks that help Iran sell its oil, efforts that he said would increase pressure on Teheran for failing to meet its international nuclear obligations.
Obama’s decision, in an executive order, came ahead of congressional votes on new sanctions intended to further strip Iran of its oil-related revenues.
In a statement, Obama said the US remained committed to finding a diplomatic resolution to the standoff with Teheran but was committed “to hold the Iranian government accountable for its actions.”
In Cairo, US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta denied media reports that he would discuss possible military attack plans against Iran during a brief visit to Israel.
Speaking at a press conference in Cairo shortly before departing for Israel, Panetta said he would be talking about “various contingencies”, but said specific military plans would not be put forward.
“I think it’s the wrong characterisation to say we are going to be discussing potential attack plans. What we are discussing are various contingencies and how we would respond,” he said.
Asked whether these included military options, he said: “We obviously continue to work on a number of options in that area, but the discussions that I hope to have with Israel are going to be more about what is the threat that we’re confronting and to try to share both information and intelligence on that.”
The Israeli army chief, Benny Gantz, said in Tel Aviv that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) were ready to attack Iran if necessary.
In Teheran, Iran’s central bank has established a special cell to fight back against western economic sanctions that the institution’s chief described as “no less than military war,” the official Irna news agency reported.
Agencies
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