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Foreign Secretary welcomes EU sanctions following assassination plot in the US

Foreign Secretary William Hague said that this coordinated EU action sends a strong message that EU Member States will not tolerate Iranian involvement in terrorism.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Speaking today he said:

“I welcome the EU’s agreement to impose restrictive measures on five individuals following the disrupted plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US. The EU action follows the UK’s designations earlier this week under the Terrorist Asset Freezing Act 2010. The EU measures will impose an EU-wide financial assets freeze and prevent any funds being made available to the individuals concerned.

“The assassination plot appears to constitute a escalation in Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism outside its borders. This coordinated EU action sends a strong message that EU Member States will not tolerate Iranian involvement in terrorism and underlines both the gravity of the plot, and the serious consequences it could have had if it had been successful.”

The names of the individuals concerned will be published on the website of the Official Journal of the EU on 22 October.

Published 21 October 2011