US ambassador warns European banks and firms over Iran sanctions

European banks and firms who engage in a special European Union initiative to protect trade with Iran will be at risk from newly reimposed U.S. sanctions, U.S. Special Representative Brian Hook warned on Thursday.

"European banks and European companies know that we will vigorously enforce sanctions against this brutal and violent regime," Hook said in a telephone briefing.

"Any major European company will always choose the American market over the Iranian market."