US imposes harsh new sanctions against Iran

By Matthew Moore

Last Updated: 5:01pm BST 25/10/2007

The US has announced sweeping economic sanctions against Iran designed to punish the regime for its nuclear programme and support for terrorists.

Analysis: Iran reaching the point of no return Iran divided by nuclear policy power struggle News Review: Inside the real Iran The measures are the harshest imposed on Teheran since 1979, and mark a new phase in the international campaign against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's regime. Henry Paulson, US Treasury Secretary, and Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, announce the sanctions The British Government immediately gave its backing to the US action, and pledged to lead the campaign for new EU and UN sanctions. Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, said the package represented "a comprehensive policy to confront the threatening behaviour of the Iranians". Today's announcement comes after weeks of increasingly pugnacious exchanges between Washington and Teheran. Earlier this month President George W Bush warned of "World War Three" unless Iran's nuclear ambitions were tackled. Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Defence Ministry and a number of banks and companies linked to the ruling regime will be hit by the measures, which effectively cut them off from the international banking system. full article