The Netherlands Iranian Business Association (NIBA) criticizes the new EU sanctions against Iran targeting its foreign trade, financial services, and energy and gas sectors.
More than one hundred businessmen slammed the 27-member economic and political union for a recent package of sanctions against the Islamic Republic in a statement released on Thursday.
They maintained that the move by Iran's largest trading partner is to the detriment of Dutch firms, a Press TV correspondent reported.
Late July, the European Union's foreign ministers approved tougher, unilateral sanctions against Iran, which target investment and technical assistance to the country's refining, liquefaction and natural gas sectors.
The punitive measure goes beyond a fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions imposed on June 9, targeting Iran's oil and gas sectors.
The United States, Israel, and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program.
Yet, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has the right to develop and acquire nuclear technology meant for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
