Iran – Syria: strengthening of sanctions under study (Update)

(B2) The European Union's "external relations" experts are meeting on Thursday (January 5) to examine a decision allowing the strengthening of sanctions against Iran - an oil embargo under study - and against Syria. If an agreement in principle has been reached to establish an oil embargo on Iran, "many details remain to be settled. You have to know from when this is applicable, if it concerns all contracts or only new ones, define a review clause..." explained a European official to B2. "the devil is in the details".

Italian conditions. Several European countries depend on Iranian oil for their supply, notably Italy. The Italian Prime Minister, Mario Monti, thus specified in an interview with Le Figaro his support for this measure "provided that it remains gradual and that deliveries are excluded which are used to reimburse the billion euros of debts that Iran has contracted with our national company ENI". There must also be an alternative solution. Saudi Arabia would be ready to take over, according to European sources.

(Maj 5 January 14 p.m.)