A broad majority in the European Parliament supports sanctions against Iran now that the country has started to enrich uranium to the 20-percent level.

Iran refuses to cooperate with other countries in its nuclear development. And the parliament says Tehran's brutal crackdown on the opposition constitutes a violation of human rights. It wants to deny entry into the EU to Iranians involved in human rights violations.

The parliament has also asked corporations such as Nokia and Siemens not to sell Iran any technology which would allow it to impose censorship.

US President Barack Obama has warned Iran that extensive sanctions may be imposed now that Washington expects that a UN resolution, imposing a package of sanctions on Iran, will be passed within a couple of weeks.