A file photo of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI)[/caption]A top European court has struck down restrictions imposed by the European Union against the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) on an alleged charge of circumventing US-led sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
In a judgment on Thursday, the Luxembourg-based EUs Court of Justice said it annulsthe EU March 23, 2012 [ruling] concerning restrictive measures against Iran in so far as it listed Central Bank of Iran.
The reasons relied on are so vague and lacking in detail that the only possible response was in the form of a general denial, the court ruled on Thursday, adding that those reasons therefore do not comply with the requirements of the case-law."
It said the charge leveled against the CBI is insufficient in the sense that it does not enable either the applicant or the Court to understand the circumstances which led the [European] Council to consider...to adopt the contested act.
The court also ordered the 28-nation European bloc to bear one half of its own costs and to pay one half of the costs of Central Bank of Iran.
At the beginning of 2012, the US and EU imposed sanctions on Irans oil and financial sectors with the goal of preventing other countries from purchasing Iranian oil and conducting transactions with the Central Bank of Iran.
On October 15, 2012, the EU foreign ministers reached an agreement on another round of sanctions against Iran.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany reached an interim deal in the Swiss city of Geneva last November, according to which the six countries accepted to ease sanctions against Iran in return for the Islamic Republic limiting certain aspects of its nuclear activities. The deal came into effect on January 20 and expired on July 20. The two sides then agreed to extend the duration of the agreement until November 24.
The two sides are scheduled to resume talks on Friday to discuss removal of sanctions against Tehran.
By Press TV
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