AMSTERDAM, Nov 23 (Reuters) – The Netherlands wants to extend the scope of European Union sanctions against Iran to include measures against its central bank to stop certain types of money flows, the Dutch foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Uri Rosenthal said Iran’s cash and gold transactions that bypass existing sanctions should be stopped, key government officials should be put on a sanctions list and new sanctions for Iran’s oil and gas sector should be considered.

The European Union agreed in principle on Tuesday to sanction some 200 Iranian people, companies and organisations, adding to measures imposed by the United States, Britain and Canada due to suspicions that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran dismissed the latest raft of sanctions, saying such steps would only intensify Iranian popular support for a nuclear programme it insists is solely for peaceful purposes.

“The minister is very worried about Iran’s role in the region. In addition, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is very worried the country is engaging in operations which are needed to make an atomic bomb,” Rosenthal’s ministry said in a statement.

“The (European Union) council of ministers should take on Dec. 1 the decision to take these sanctions which should hit the Iranian government in the heart,” the ministry said.

Source : Freedom Messenger