Iran summons Denmark envoy to protest oil sanctions, news agency reports
By the CNN Wire Staff
January 25, 2012 -- Updated 1520 GMT (2320 HKT)
How will Iran deal with sanctions?
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The European Union announces oil sanctions
- "There are forces in the EU that seek to create tension," Iranian official says
- The U.S. has also imposed its own punitive action on Iran
(CNN) -- Iran summoned Denmark's ambassador to Tehran to protest a decision by the European Union to impose sanctions on Iran's oil imports, the semiofficial Fars News Agency reported.
Iran protested to the ambassador Tuesday because Denmark now holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, the agency reported.
"There are forces in the EU that seek to create tension in the relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran by following the U.S. policies and adopting a hostile approach ," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Asqar Khaji said at the meeting, according to Fars.
The European Union announced Monday it would cut off oil imports from Iran and freeze assets in an effort to starve the country's nuclear program of funding.
U.S. carrier moves into Persian Gulf
Carney: Iran will face tougher sanctions
The sanctions announced Monday freeze the assets of Iran's central bank in European Union nations and ban the importation of Iranian oil to those countries. The measures also block European Union countries from exporting petrochemical equipment and technology to Iran, or trading diamonds and precious metals with the Middle Eastern state.
Iran says its nuclear program is not military, but the United States and many of its allies suspect Iran intends to produce a bomb. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has expressed similar concerns
The European Union will allow contracts that are already in place to be fulfilled until July 1, it said.
The U.S. government took its own punitive action regarding Iran on Monday, with the Treasury Department targeting the nation's third-largest bank, the state-owned Bank Tejarat, for allegedly working with other Iranian banks and firms subject to sanctions tied to Iran's nuclear program.
Part of complete coverage on
May 25, 2012 -- Updated 0458 GMT (1258 HKT)
Chinese human rights activist Chen Guangcheng tells CNN about his departure from China and his continuing concern for family and friends.
May 24, 2012 -- Updated 1739 GMT (0139 HKT)
Given recent headlines, you could easily assume something more dramatic than a singing competition was about to descend on Azerbaijan.
May 25, 2012 -- Updated 1213 GMT (2013 HKT)
Formula One's 12 teams have struck an agreement to secure the future of the sport until 2020, Bernie Ecclestone has exclusively told CNN.
May 25, 2012 -- Updated 1409 GMT (2209 HKT)
It was one small interview for astronaut Neil Armstrong ... and one giant scoop for an Australian accountant, of all people.
May 24, 2012 -- Updated 2136 GMT (0536 HKT)
Bastoy prison is on an island in southern Norway. There are no fences or armed guards, and inmates hold the keys to locks.
May 24, 2012 -- Updated 1336 GMT (2136 HKT)
Stars from Barcelona FC will be encouraging reading as part of a project to give one million digital books to African children.
May 25, 2012 -- Updated 0823 GMT (1623 HKT)
We have mixed in the Duke of Edinburgh's gaffes among other famous faux pas. Take our quiz and see how many of Philip's gaffes you can spot.
May 24, 2012 -- Updated 1534 GMT (2334 HKT)
The deadly clashes that are a fact of daily life in Syria have now bled into Lebanon, where sectarian shootouts are raising fears of an end to calm.
May 24, 2012 -- Updated 0746 GMT (1546 HKT)
Eva Wu has kept her teenage son's room unchanged ever since he died last year. Now, she also keeps him close in the form of a diamond.
May 25, 2012 -- Updated 0331 GMT (1131 HKT)
Demonstrators say Twitter posts and Facebook groups brought them to the streets of Mexico's capital and cities around the country.
May 26, 2012 -- Updated 0946 GMT (1746 HKT)
Ben Wedeman explains how much has changed since the last presidential election, but much remains the same.
May 22, 2012 -- Updated 1416 GMT (2216 HKT)
In Delhi, where there are more elephants than Mormons, Manu Joseph explores India's U.S. election-envy and why a Republican is better for India.
May 25, 2012 -- Updated 1149 GMT (1949 HKT)
The wheels are coming off the wagon, says Richard Quest -- and Greece's membership of the eurozone is untenable under the current conditions.
May 22, 2012 -- Updated 1428 GMT (2228 HKT)
Why some observers believe that the full story of who destroyed a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie has still to be uncovered.
Today's five most popular stories
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|