International sanctions

The European Union has imposed additional sanctions in Syria against eight people and two companies, the European Council announced on Monday.

The Council noted that eight "prominent" Syrian businessmen were added to the sanctions list as their "activities directly benefited the Assad regime, including through projects on land alienated by people displaced by the conflict ".

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Iran today, Reuters quoted as referring to the US Treasury Department's website.

The subject of the new sanctions are two individuals and six international companies, including four companies that work with the National Iranian Oil Company.

The Hamas resistance group called on the Palestinian administration Jan. 1 to work together with it and other groups against Israel's decision to withhold millions of dollars in tax funds from Palestinians.

In a statement, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the decision once again proves the "piracy of Israel."

Turkish parliament speaker on Dec. 22 said his country was not obliged to the U.S. or any other country due to the global politics evolving from a two-polar to a multi-polar one that offers many alternatives.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Friday that Ankara would retaliate against potential US sanctions over its purchase of Russian defense systems and a natural gas pipeline.

Turkey has warned that US moves to lift a decades-old arms embargo on Cyprus would undermine efforts to reunite the Mediterranean island and create a "dangerous escalation."
The US Congress voted Tuesday to end the embargo on the island, which was imposed in 1987 with the aim of preventing an arms buildup that would obstruct diplomatic efforts at a peace settlement.

In response to Turkey's repeated violations of Cyprus' exclusive economic zones (EEZ), European Union foreign ministers adopted a mechanism on Monday which would make it possible "to sanction individuals or entities responsible for, or involved in, unauthorized drilling activities of hydrocarbons." 

The European Union has unveiled a system for imposing sanctions on Turkey over its unauthorized gas drilling in Mediterranean waters off Cyprus but no Turkish companies or officials have yet been targeted.

The European Union member states united on Oct. 14 to condemn Turkey's offensive in Syria but stopped short of imposing an arms embargo, while opening the way to sanctions over Ankara's controversial drilling off Cyprus.

EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday are expected to deplore the Turkish offensive in Syria and vow to coordinate on imposing an arms embargo, Bloomberg has reported, though a decision is on Turkey is not expected until later this week.