The United States will exempt seven more countries from sanctions aimed at preventing Iran from developing atomic weapons, the State Department said.

The countries are India, Malaysia, South Korea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Taiwan. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had previously granted exemptions to 10 European countries and Japan.

“By reducing Iran’s oil sales, we are sending a decisive message to Iran’s leaders: until they take concrete actions to satisfy the concerns of the international community, they will continue to face

increasing isolation and pressure,” she said yesterday.

Clinton said that the seven countries had “all significantly reduced their volume of crude oil purchases from Iran”.

The sanctions on foreign financial institutions over dealings with Iran’s central bank, which handles its oil exports, are due to come into force late this month.

Iran says its nuclear programme is only intended to serve peaceful purposes, but the international community suspects the country is developing nuclear weapons.

- dpa