took a new step to prevent compromising with Iran by vowing on Friday (March 31) to forge ahead with tough sanctions on Iran to put more international pressure on this country over its nuclear enrichment program.
The US president, who was required by a law he signed in December to determine by 31 March whether the market allowed countries to "significantly" cut their purchases from Iran, agreed on Friday to impose fresh sanctions on foreign banks still involved in the trading of Iranian oil.
The law, passed by the U.S. congress and signed by Obama in December last year, is aimed at choking off Iran's crucial oil revenue by targeting its central bank and financial sector, a move that allows penalties on foreign banks that settle oil imports with the Iranian central bank.
Barack Obama said he made the decision after determining world markets have enough crude oil that such sanctions would not hurt U.S. allies. There is a sufficient supply of petroleum and petroleum products from countries other than Iran, he stated.
According to Washington Post, the new measures are intended to pressure Iran into agreeing to strict curbs on its nuclear program atnegotiations set to begin in mid-April.
Seemingly, as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said, theUS presidentBarack Obama doesn't want to compromise with Iran.
Sources: BBC Persian, Reuters,Press TV
