The European Union re-imposed sanctions on an Iranian bank and 32 shipping companies on Wednesday, using new legal grounds.
“Coming days after Iran and six major powers reached a framework agreement to end a long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, the EU’s move is a signal that the 28-nation bloc will keep up sanctions pressure on Iran until a final nuclear deal is sealed,” Reuters reported.
The EU’s second-highest court annulled an EU asset freeze on Bank Tejarat and 40 Iranian shipping companies in January.
In its reasons for restoring the asset freeze on Bank Tejarat, the EU said the bank “provides significant support to the Government of Iran by offering financial resources and financing services for oil and gas development projects.”
The shipping firms were all listed because they are owned by the Iranian regime’s shipping lines, which was previously put under sanctions.