The outgoing center-left government of Italian prime minister Romano Prodi is expected to join a European Union call for new sanctions against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper ‘Ha’aretz’. Italian foreign minister Massimo D'Alema is expected to announce Rome's new position at an EU Council of Ministers meeting at the end of April. Apparently, the EU sanctions will be directed mainly against Iranian financial institutions and European bank accounts owned by bodies linked to Tehran's nuclear program. The sanctions are also expected to limit European companies' export permits to Iran.
Italy was hitherto opposed to tougher sanctions against Iran. The Italian position delayed the EU's ratification of a UN Security Council resolution earlier this year. Italy is reportedly Iran's biggest trading partner among EU states, with a trade volume of US$ 9.5 billion in 2007. Next came Germany and France, both of which had trade with Iran last year that reached around US$ 6.5 billion. However, Italy claims the country had cut trade with Iran by 19 per cent last year.
The next Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who won last week’s elections, is also expected to support stronger measures against Iran.
