SYDNEY - Australia imposed new sanctions against Iran on Wednesday over Tehran's refusal to suspend nuclear activities, with new travel and financial restrictions against 20 people and 18 organisations.
The Reserve Bank of Australia said those facing the new sanctions included people from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The new sanctions ban any commercial dealings with the people or entities named, and ban those named from travel to Australia. Previous sanctions only targetted direct nuclear programs.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the sanctions, similar to action taken by the European Union against Iran , would also apply to Iranian banks Melli and Saderat, and other people and organisations contributing to Iran's missile programs.
"The government will, together with the international community, continue to engage with Iran to urge it to suspend uranium enrichment," Smith told Australian parliament.
The West fears the Islamic Republic, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, is seeking to build nuclear arms.
Iran says it only wants to generate electricity and has repeatedly ruled out halting uranium enrichment, which can have both civilian and military purposes. Its refusal to do so has drawn three rounds of U.N. sanctions since 2006.
Smith also condemned comments by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calling for the destruction of Israel , but said Australia had decided against taking international legal action against Iran for the comments.
