U.K. Foreign
Secretary William Hague confirmed Monday the full European Union oil embargo on
Iran will come into effect July 1.
Speaking after EU foreign ministers discussed the measures at a meeting in Luxembourg, Mr. Hague said: "We have also
confirmed the detail of the sanctions being imposed on Iran.
"Those come into full force...on July 1, which is this Sunday," he
told reporters. "It is important the Iranian leaders understand the
resolve of the countries of the European Union on this and that we will go on
intensifying the economic pressure until the world can be satisfied that Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes."
The EU agreed in January to introduce the embargo as an effort to pressure Iran back into talks on its nuclear activities.
Iran returned to the negotiating table in April but the
nuclear talks have thus far made little progress.