The U.S. imposes a new round of sanctions on Iranian officials and entities
The US government announced on the 18th that it would impose sanctions on several Iranian officials and entities, and threatened to continue to pressure Iran in the coming weeks.
The sanctions include Iranian Minister of Intelligence and Security Mahmoud Allawi and two senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard officers. In addition, a charitable organization and its leadership and 50 affiliated entities involved in energy, mining and finance industries were also sanctioned.
US Secretary of State Pompeo also threatened in a State Department statement that day that the US will impose new sanctions on Iran in the next few weeks.
In July 2015, a comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue was reached. According to the agreement, Iran promised to limit its nuclear program and the international community lifted sanctions against Iran.
In May 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement, and subsequently restarted and added a series of sanctions against Iran.
In response, Iran has suspended the implementation of certain provisions of the Iran nuclear agreement in stages starting from May 2019.
Iran says US sanctions “will end in failure”
The US government announced additional sanctions on Iran.
The spokesperson of Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said on the 18th that the new sanctions are nothing more than a “show of despair” by the Trump administration. He also said that “extreme pressure” is aimed at Iran and its people.
The latest sanctions are a continuation of this failed strategy and “will end in failure, just like the previous sanctions.”
Agence France-Presse reported that the Trump administration’s previous sanctions have restricted Iran’s oil exports and the financial sector, and the actual effect of the latest sanctions will be limited.
Regarding the U.S. constantly refreshing the sanctions list, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif said in September that the U.S. sanctions were “nothing new.”
