European Union foreign ministers on Monday adopted tough new financial and trade sanctions against Iran aimed at forcing a breakthrough in stalled talks on Tehran’s contested nuclear programme.

EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday to lift the last of the bloc’s trade, economic and individual sanctions against Myanmar, hailing “a new chapter” with the once pariah state. “In response to the changes that have taken place and in the expectation that they will continue, the Council (of ministers) has decided to lift all sanctions with the exception of the embargo on arms,” said a statement approved without a vote.