Iran shifts billions from banks in Europe amid fears of UN sanctions

· Tehran's nuclear stand-off intensified by transfers
· British invite to Afghan talks irks wary Americans

Ewen MacAskill and Jill Treanor
Saturday January 21, 2006
The Guardian

The Iranian government has started moving billions of pounds in assets from Britain and the rest of Europe in case international sanctions are imposed over the nuclear crisis.

Ebrahim Sheibani, the governor of the Iranian Central Bank, confirmed Tehran had started shifting funds, according to Iranian news agency ISNA.