Brussels, 14/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 14 January, the Council announced that the European Union had officially adopted the extension of the relief of sanctions against Iran in connection with the agreement on the nuclear programme (see EUROPE 11467).
The decision, taken by written procedure, is expected to be published in the Official Journal on Friday 15 January. The current relief, adopted for the first time on 20 January 2014 (see EUROPE 11000) and renewed several times since, came to an end at midnight on 14 January.
The relief concerns the EU's restrictive measures set out in the joint action plan of 24 November 2013 (see EUROPE 10970). It enables the supply of insurance and transport in connection with the sale of crude oil from Iran to current clients, the import, purchase or transport of Iranian petrochemical products, and trade in gold and precious metals with the Iranian government and its public bodies. The raising of the authorisation thresholds for financial transfers to and from Iran also remains in force.
The extension of the sanctions may not go on until its end on 28 January. In its press release, the Council said that as soon as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirms that Iran has taken the nuclear measures in the joint action plan, the Council will give effect to the lifting of all EU economic and financial sanctions taken in connection with the Iranian nuclear programme, which will supersede the limited sanctions relief extended on 14 January. The deputy secretary general and political director of the European External Action Service (EEAS) said on 14 January that the day of implementation, with the lifting of sanctions, was “very near”. According to the Iranians, this date will reportedly fall during the weekend of 16-17 January (see EUROPE 11467). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)