Reply #9: U.S. said expected to sanction Iranian bank (Reuters, Jan. 9)

[Dover]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The United States is expected to announce sanctions against Bank Sepah, a big Iranian commercial bank, under a presidential order aimed at freezing the assets of proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters, several U.S. officials and diplomats said on Monday.

The action is expected to be announced soon, the officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Undersecretary of Treasury Stuart Levey, who leads U.S. efforts to combat terrorist financing and money laundering, has called a news conference for Tuesday to make an announcement on Iran but his office declined to disclose details.

The new sanctions -- under an executive order President George W. Bush signed in June 2005 -- reflects the administration's determination to use U.S. authorities to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear program, something Tehran has repeatedly insisted it will not do.

U.S. officials told Reuters they hope such action will set an example for other countries as to how a recently passed U.N. Security Council resolution imposing sanctions on Iran should be implemented...cont'd

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/09/us.iran.reut/index.html