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New Iran sanctions announced by US Treasury department after ballistic missile test New Iran sanctions announced by US Treasury department after ballistic missile test
(35 minutes later)
The US has imposed new sanctions against Iran as President Donald Trump has sought to punish the country for testing its ballistic missile programme.The US has imposed new sanctions against Iran as President Donald Trump has sought to punish the country for testing its ballistic missile programme.
The Treasury Department said in a statement that they have published a list of 13 people and 12 entities facing new sanctions.The Treasury Department said in a statement that they have published a list of 13 people and 12 entities facing new sanctions.
It signals a marked escalation of tensions between the two countries and comes just hours after the President said Tehran was "playing with fire".
Some of the individuals and entities involved are based in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China.Some of the individuals and entities involved are based in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China.
"This action reflects the United States’ commitment to enforcing sanctions on Iran with respect to its ballistic missile program and destabilizing activities in the region and is fully consistent with the United States’ commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," the statement said.
The restrictions are due to their contribution to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other accusations of terrorism and are widely seen as a consequence of the ballistic missile test in Iran last week and Mr Trump's "Muslim ban" executive order.The restrictions are due to their contribution to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other accusations of terrorism and are widely seen as a consequence of the ballistic missile test in Iran last week and Mr Trump's "Muslim ban" executive order.
In retaliation Iran curtailed visas for all Americans and the Central Bank refused to use the US dollar for official statistics or financial reporting.In retaliation Iran curtailed visas for all Americans and the Central Bank refused to use the US dollar for official statistics or financial reporting.
Mr Trump promised to be "tough on Iran" throughout his presidential campaign and repeatedly called the Iran nuclear deal, signed in 2015 under former President Barack Obama a "disaster".Mr Trump promised to be "tough on Iran" throughout his presidential campaign and repeatedly called the Iran nuclear deal, signed in 2015 under former President Barack Obama a "disaster".
The UN has not yet determined whether the missile test, which enraged Iran's enemy and US ally Israel, has broken the 2015 accord.The UN has not yet determined whether the missile test, which enraged Iran's enemy and US ally Israel, has broken the 2015 accord.
The US keeps a separate sanctions list that is not nuclear-related. Mr Obama imposed sanctions throughout his two terms on two dozen Iranian individuals and entities, which Mr Trump said was "weak".The US keeps a separate sanctions list that is not nuclear-related. Mr Obama imposed sanctions throughout his two terms on two dozen Iranian individuals and entities, which Mr Trump said was "weak".
He had been criticised for lifting crippling internaitonal economic sanctions from Iran in 2015, which the country had lived under for decades. He had been criticised for lifting crippling international economic sanctions from Iran in 2015, which the country had lived under for decades.
After the missile test, Defense Secretary Michael Flynn told reporters that the US was "putting Iran on notice".After the missile test, Defense Secretary Michael Flynn told reporters that the US was "putting Iran on notice".
Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said before the announcement of new US sanctions hat Iran would be "unmoved by threats".Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said before the announcement of new US sanctions hat Iran would be "unmoved by threats".
"We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense.""We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense."
Ali-Akbar Velayati, the foreign adviser of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, predicted this week that "the US will be the final loser".Ali-Akbar Velayati, the foreign adviser of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, predicted this week that "the US will be the final loser".
"It is not for the first time that a naive person from the US poses threats to Iran," he told state media. "It is not for the first time that a naive person from the US poses threats to Iran," he told state media.