Iran’s deputy foreign minister says new U.S. measures targeting individuals and companies for supporting Tehran’s nuclear program are “against the spirit” of a deal reached in Geneva last month.

Abbas Araghchi, who is on Iran’s negotiating team, said on December 13 that his government is evaluating the situation after the United States the previous day added more names to a blacklist under sanctions aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining the means to construct nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, the European Union said that talks in Vienna on implementing last month’s nuclear deal with world powers have been interrupted after four days for further consultations but are expected to resume “soon.”

Michael Mann, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, said on December 13 that “reflecting the complexity of the technical issues discussed, it became clear that further work is needed.”

Based on reporting by Fars news agency, Reuters, and AFP
RFE/RL