Swiss govt freezes more Iranian assets

The Swiss government has extensive its financial sanctions against Iran by freezing the assets of 11 more companies and people but determined not to take any action against Tehran's central bank, officials said Wednesday.The action against an added eight companies and three individuals was carried out Tuesday and "brings Switzerland largely in line with the restrictive actions the European Union adopted in January, the Swiss Cabinet said. The move aims to pressure Iran to comply with U.N. demands over its contentious nuclear program. 

But an exclusion to the EU's measures "was made for the Iranian Central Bank, upon which sanctions have not be imposed, due to its significance for the Iranian economy," the Swiss government said.It did not recognize the targeted companies and individuals.Iran's denials of military target for its uranium enrichment have failed to convince EU and U.S. officials. 

The Swiss have before frozen Iranian accounts in Switzerland because of U.N. Security Council sanctions compulsory on Iran over its nuclear program. Iran has been subject to U.N. sanctions primarily for refusing to stop a nuclear enrichment program.Swiss banks have frequently been accused of allowing firms and individuals close to the Iranian government to conduct business during Swiss accounts.

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