date:Mar 22, 2013
States have imposed toughened sanctions meant to discourage Tehran's nuclear programme, which they say has a military purpose. Iran rejects this.
Western sanctions do not target food shipments, but financial measures have frozen Iranian firms out of much of the global banking system, complicating payments for imports on which Iran relies for much of its food, consumer and industrial goods.
Many foreign companies, including shipping firms, have pulled out of trade with Iran for fear of losing