The State Department said Thursday four major European oil companies have promised to halt dealings with Iran, and will be spared from U.S. sanctions. A Swiss-based subsidiary of Iran's national oil company will face sanctions.
The Iran sanctions announcement was the second from the State Department in two days, and reflects a stepped-up U.S. effort to try to prod Iran back to nuclear talks with economic pressure.
Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg told reporters that the United States has gotten commitments from four European oil companies to terminate investments and avoid any new activities in Iran's energy sector.
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