In brief: EU approves more sanctions on Iran

Brussels – The European Union slapped new sanctions on Iranian individuals, companies and organizations Thursday in response to a report alleging that Tehran had pressed ahead with ambitions to build a nuclear weapon.

European governments also kept up their condemnation of the ransacking of the British Embassy in Tehran by an angry mob of protesters on Tuesday. Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands have all temporarily recalled their ambassadors from Tehran.

EU foreign ministers approved the addition of 180 Iranian entities to the list of those that have had their assets in Europe frozen and that have been banned from travel in any of the EU’s 27 member states.

But the ministers stopped short of imposing an embargo on Iranian oil, a more drastic step that some European countries have urged.

Syrian defectors, rebels coordinating

Beirut – In a significant display of unity, Syrian military defectors fighting to unseat President Bashar Assad have agreed to scale back their campaign and coordinate with the main civilian opposition bloc, according to representatives of both groups.

Leaders of the Syrian National Council and the Free Syrian Army met this week in southern Turkey, which has provided sanctuary to its neighbor’s two most prominent dissident groups while pressing them to take steps to avoid all-out civil war. It was the first official meeting between the council’s leader, Burhan Ghalioun, and the Free Army chief, Col. Riad Assad.

The council, a dissident umbrella group launched two months ago, has been trying to establish itself as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.