US expands sanctions on Iran to press nuclear case
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Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen speaks during a news conference about HSBC and money laundering on Dec 11, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Mr Cohen said the United States will impose tighter sanctions and intensify economic pressure against the Iranian regime as long as Iran continues to fail to address the concerns of the international community about its nuclear programme. -- PHOTO: AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States (US) on Wednesday tightened sanctions on Iran to further choke off its oil income, saying it was necessary to increase pressure on Tehran over its suspected nuclear weapons programme.
It also set sanctions against Iranian media organisations and Tehran's Cyber Police for what it called human rights abuses for censorship.
The US Treasury said that countries continuing to buy Iranian oil would have to retain their payment for the oil, and only allow it to be used for Iranian purchases of goods from them.
That would tighten Tehran's ability to freely use the money it gets from oil exports, which have already been sharply constricted by international sanctions on the country.
