Britain seizes huge amount of Iran assets

[joeblow]

Britain seizes huge amount of Iran assets
Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:29:40 GMT

http://www.presstv.com/detail/98465.htm ... =351020101

The British government says it has frozen an unprecedented total of one billion pounds (1.64 billion US dollars) worth of Iranian assets.

"The total assets frozen in the UK under the EU (European Union) and UN sanctions against Iran are approximately 976,110,000 pounds," Ian Pearson, Britain's Economic Secretary to the Treasury said in a written statement to parliament on Thursday.

The statement did not give any further details.

Under pressure from the US and its allies, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has imposed three rounds of sanctions against Iran to compel Tehran to halt the country's nuclear program. Washington accuses Tehran of pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

The allegations come as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)- which has carried out an unprecedented amount of inspections on Iran's nuclear program-- has so far found no evidence indicating that Tehran is pursuing military purposes in its nuclear program.

Tehran, a signatory to Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has repeatedly declared that it will not give up its legitimate nuclear rights under Western pressure which it insists is politically motivated.

The United States has also kept billions of dollars worth of Iranian assets in its possession since the country's Islamic Revolution toppled a US-backed monarch in 1979.

MGH/SME/DT