New EU sanctions against Iran not needed: HagueApril 22, 2013 - 16:40 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Union should focus on implementing its current sanctions against Iran over Tehran's nuclear program rather than imposing new measures for the moment, Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Monday, April 22, according to Reuters. Hague was speaking days after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry asked for patience from U.S. senators pressing for tougher sanctions over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, saying there is uncertainty in Iran two months before its June 14 election. Hague said economic pressure from Europe was increasing on the Islamic Republic, thanks to wide sanctions against banking and industry imposed on Iran last year, and there was time to wait with more. "We must maintain (current) sanctions pressure, not proposing new ones," he told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg. Western governments hope economic pressure will persuade Tehran to scale back its most sensitive nuclear work, which they fear has a covert military goal. Iran rejects such accusations and says it enriches uranium to increase electricity supplies and for medical purposes. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |