EU draws sanctions against Iran

Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) on Monday met to draw additional sanctions focusing on the Central Bank and oil exports against Iran, said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton before the meeting.

But Ashton reiterated that the sanctions were part of EU's "twin track approach" towards Iran, saying "The pressure of sanctions is designed to try and make sure that Iran takes seriously our request to come to the table and meet."

"You will know from everything I have been saying in the last weeks the importance we attach to them either coming back and discussing the issues we left on the table in Istanbul a year ago or indeed putting forward their own proposals," Ashton told press before she step in the meeting hall.

"Iran has the opportunity to come forward not just to talk, but to have some concrete issues to talk about," she said, "It is very important that it is not just about words; a meeting is not an excuse, a meeting is an opportunity and I hope that they will seize it."

Up to now, some 400 Iranian assets in the continent have been frozen and 113 more people have been subject to a visa ban and an asset freeze.