EU introduces new sanctions against Iran

European Union governments have agreed on imposing new major sanctions
against Iran's banking sector, shipping and industry on Monday,
tightening financial pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program.
"Restrictive measures and conclusions on Iran (were) adopted," the EU
statement from a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg states.
The new sanctions are some of the toughest introduced by Europe against
Iran until now. They indicate a significant change of policy for the
27-member bloc, which has so far focused on targeting specific people
and Iranian companies with economic restrictions.

The measures include a ban on financial transactions, with some
exceptions for those involving humanitarian aid, food and medicine
purchases and provisions for legitimate trade, Euronews quotes an EU
diplomat as saying.