European Union Names New Sanctions on Tehran

TEHRAN, Iran — The European Union named Iran's largest commercial bank, the chief of the Revolutionary Guards, and the head of the country's nuclear program yesterday as the targets of new sanctions imposed over Tehran's nuclear defiance.

Iran said yesterday that it would not be hurt by the sanctions and hardline President Ahmadinejad called for a special international court to be formed to punish what he called "tyrants" for their attempts to thwart the nuclear program.

A day after approving the sanctions, the European Union released a list of 15 new names and 20 new companies that the it says are linked to Iran's nuclear and missile programs. The names join a list of companies and figures under sanctions by the bloc since 2007.

Most notable among the newly sanctioned is Iran's Bank Melli, which allegedly provided or attempted to give financial backing to companies involved in procuring goods for Iran's nuclear and missile programs, the European Union said. The E.U. action forces the shutdown of Bank Melli branches in Paris and Hamburg and a unit in London called Melli Bank PLC.

The individuals on the new list mainly belong to Iran's Defense Ministry and the elite Revolutionary Guards, which operate separately from the standing armed forces and are controlled by Iran's ruling clerics. Among them are General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the chief of the Guards, which is in charge of Iran's missile program.

Also sanctioned is Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, the governmental body which officially oversees Iran's nuclear activities.