This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38860352
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
US sanctions Iran after missile test | US sanctions Iran after missile test |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Trump administration is imposing sanctions on Iran following its recent ballistic missile test. | The Trump administration is imposing sanctions on Iran following its recent ballistic missile test. |
The US Treasury Department announced the measures against 13 people and a dozen companies on Friday. | The US Treasury Department announced the measures against 13 people and a dozen companies on Friday. |
President Donald Trump tweeted earlier: "Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how 'kind' President Obama was to them. Not me!" | President Donald Trump tweeted earlier: "Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how 'kind' President Obama was to them. Not me!" |
But Iran has said it will not yield to "useless" American threats from "an inexperienced person". | But Iran has said it will not yield to "useless" American threats from "an inexperienced person". |
John Smith, the Treasury Department's acting sanctions chief, said in a statement: "Iran's continued support for terrorism and development of its ballistic missile programme poses a threat to the region, to our partners worldwide and to the United States." | |
Some of the newly sanctioned groups are based in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China, and include members of the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards Corps. | Some of the newly sanctioned groups are based in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China, and include members of the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards Corps. |
They are the first Iran sanctions of Mr Trump's new presidency, and come a day after he said "nothing is off the table" in dealing with the country. | |
Oil prices rose on Friday morning, as markets factored in the announcement. | |
This week, the US national security adviser, Michael Flynn, said the administration was putting Iran "on notice" for its medium-range missile test. | |
The White House said the launch had violated a UN Security Council resolution proscribing missiles that could carry a nuclear device. | The White House said the launch had violated a UN Security Council resolution proscribing missiles that could carry a nuclear device. |
But Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Friday that the Islamic Republic was unmoved by US threats. | But Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Friday that the Islamic Republic was unmoved by US threats. |
"Will never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defence," Mr Zarif wrote. | "Will never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defence," Mr Zarif wrote. |
The Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, applauded Mr Trump on his administration's "swift and decisive response", in a statement on Twitter. | The Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, applauded Mr Trump on his administration's "swift and decisive response", in a statement on Twitter. |
More than a dozen US senators from both main parties wrote on Thursday to the president, urging "full enforcement of existing sanctions and the imposition of additional sanctions on Iran". | |
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's senior military advisor, Brigadier General Ahmed al Assiri, told the BBC it was time to change Iran's behaviour in the region. | |
Speaking in the Saudi capital Riyadh, he said Tehran's involvement in neighbouring countries such as Iraq, Syria and Yemen must be stopped. | |
Gen Assiri, who advises the Saudi defence minister, said Iran must be "brought back to its borders". | Gen Assiri, who advises the Saudi defence minister, said Iran must be "brought back to its borders". |
Iran - long an arch-foe of Saudi Arabia - says its presence across the region is always at the request of the governments. | |
The sanctions came as the US moved a Navy destroyer closer to the coast of Yemen to guard waterways from the Iran-aligned Houthi militia, Reuters news agency reports. | |
Also on Friday, Iran announced a ban against US wrestlers from competing at a championship in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah later this month. | |
The ban was in response to Mr Trump's executive order temporarily barring travel to the US for Iranian citizens, as well as citizens of six other majority-Muslim countries. |