BRUSSELS, July 26 (Saba) -- European Union High Representative for foreign and security policy Catherine Ashton said here Monday that by adopting tough new sanctions against Iran Monday the EU has "sent a powerful message to Iran," according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

"And that message is that their nuclear programme is a cause of growing and serious concern to us," she told a press conference after a meeting of EU foreign ministers here this evening.

Ashton said the ministers adopted new sanctions on Iran "because of those concerns and due to lack of engagement in meaningul negotiations." "This pacakge is robust, it is comprenesive. All the key areas including energy are included.

They go beyond the Security Council requirements but they follow the same logic. They target people, companies and sectors directly and indirectly involved in Iran's nuclear programme in making, transporting, financing and supporting thos programmes," she noted.

Ashton streessed that the interests of Iranian leaders lies in returning to the negotiating table, adding that "sanctions are not an end in themselves." "We want a solution that would enable all of us to have confidence in the civilan nature of the programme," she saiud.

Ashton said she is in contact with Turkey on the issues of Iran and spoke to the Turkish foreign minister this morning.

"We are working closely with Turkey because they ara key partner to us and they have good links to Iran," she said adding that she sent a message through Turkey to Tehran that "we are keen to start this dialogue with Iran on the question of nuclear weapons.

Ashton announced that full details of the sanctions against Iran will be announced in Brussels on Tuesday.

Saba