WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday slapped new sanctions on the Iranian defense ministry and others involved in Iran’s nuclear and weapons program to support its assertion that all UN sanctions against Tehran are now restored, a move disputed by key European allies as well as US adversaries such as Russia and China.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, flanked by President Donald Trump s top national security aides, also told reporters the United States put new sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has deepened ties between Caracas and Tehran.
The latest sanctions include a new executive order signed by President Trump targeting those who buy or sell Iran conventional arms. Acting under that order, the United States said it had imposed penalties on Iran s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, Iran s Defense Industries Organization and its Director, Mehrdad Akhlaghi-Ketabchi.
The impetus behind the US action is the impending expiry of a UN arms embargo on Iran and a desire to warn foreign actors – US entities are already barred from such trade – that if they buy or sell arms to Iran they will face US sanctions.
Under the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran struck with six major powers – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States – the UN conventional arms embargo is to set to expire on Oct. 18, shortly before the Nov. 3 US election.
“No matter who you are, if you violate the UN arms embargo on Iran, you risk sanctions,” Pompeo told a news conference with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Robert O Brien, the national security adviser.
