EU Officially Adopts New Sanctions against Syria

The European Union on Thursday announced fresh sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, adding 11 individuals and businesses to a list of Syrians already targeted.

"The Council today adopted a decision ... imposing restrictive measures on seven additional persons and introducing such measures against four entities associated with the Syrian regime, in view of the gravity of the situation," said a statement from the office of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

After already targeting 23 Syrians, including Assad and members of his inner circle, the new list includes three Iranians who will also be hit by an asset freeze and travel ban, diplomats said.

The three Iranians, whose named will be released along with the others on Friday, are accused of militarily aiding Syria's crackdown on dissent.

The expanded sanctions, spearheaded by France and Britain and agreed in principle by the bloc's 27 foreign ministers this week, were adopted under a special procedure for urgent decisions and will come into force Friday when the EU Official Journal publishes the names of those on the latest list.

The Iranians face sanctions for "providing military equipment and support to help the regime suppress protests in Syria," a diplomat said.

Another EU diplomat said their inclusion sent "a clear message to the government of Iran that its provision of equipment and technical advice to help the Syrian regime quash protests is unacceptable."

Syria has reacted angrily to Europe beefing up its sanctions, with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem this week slamming the measures as "equivalent to war" and denying receiving assistance from Iran or Lebanon's armed group Hizbullah in putting down the protests.

EU foreign ministers looked to toughening action against Syria after Assad's latest pledges of change in a public address this week failed to convince.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Assad should "reform or step aside."

Several European nations however have joined Washington in pushing for a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the Syrian crackdown, but Russia has warned it would veto such a move.

U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday urged the Security Council to overcome divisions on the Syria crisis, saying: "I do not see much credibility (in) what he has been saying."

The U.N. leader said it would be "very helpful" for the U.N. Security Council to speak out on the Syria crisis.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt this week said it was vital for the Council "to express the outrage of the world."

"The silence of the Security Council until now can be seen as an indirect tolerance of what is going on in Syria and that is unacceptable," he said.

German counterpart Guido Westerwelle said Moscow's U.N. position "goes in the wrong direction".

More than 1,300 civilians have been killed and some 10,000 people arrested, according to Syrian rights groups, in the crackdown that has seen troops dispatched to crush revolt in cities across the troubled country.