US FIRES IRAN SANCTIONS
More to follow as 13 people, 12 companies linked to Tehran are hit
washington — The Trump administration on Friday imposed sanctions on 13 people and a dozen companies in response to Iran’s recent ballistic missile test, increasing pressure on Tehran without directly undercutting a landmark nuclear deal with the country.
Those targeted by the Treasury Department’s action include various agents, companies and associates involved in procuring ballistic missile technology for Iran. Iranians, Lebanese, Chinese and individuals and companies also are now blacklisted from doing any business in the United States or with American citizens.
“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,” John E. Smith, the Treasury Department’s acting sanctions chief, said in a statement.
“We will continue to actively apply all available tools, including financial sanctions, to address this behaviour,” Smith said.
The sanctions are the first against Iran in Donald Trump’s new presidency, reflecting his desire to take a tougher stance towards Tehran. Throughout his campaign, Trump accused the Obama administration of being weak on Iran and vowed to crack down if elected.
In a tweet on Friday morning, Trump said: “Iran is playing with fire — they don’t appreciate how ‘kind’ President Obama was to
Iran’s continued support for terrorism and development of its ballistic missile programme poses a threat to the region
John E. Smith, US Treasury Department
them. Not me.” None of the new sanctions appear to reverse the Obama administration’s suspension of sanctions as part of the 2015 nuclear deal. Nevertheless, the action will almost surely increase tensions with Iran.
The Islamic republic has insisted that new sanctions violate the deal and that it has the right to conduct ballistic missile tests now that its nuclear programme has been sharply curtailed. The US and Western countries argue otherwise, noting that Tehran agreed to an eight-year extension of a ban on ballistic work in nuclear negotiations two years ago. That agreement was concluded in parallel, but separately to the nuclear accord.
“This is fully consistent with the Obama administration’s commitment to Congress that the nuclear deal does not preclude the use of non-nuclear sanctions,” said Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, which advocates for a hardline US position on Iran.
The sanctions come after Trump and his aides issued cryptic warnings about potential retaliation against Tehran for testing a ballistic missile and for supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen. The US accuses Iran of arming and financing the rebels, who this week claimed a successful missile strike against a warship belonging to a Saudi-led coalition fighting to reinstall Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Iran denies arming the Houthis. —
Iran is playing with fire -- they don’t appreciate how ‘kind’ President Obama was to them. Not me! Donald Trump, US President Iran is unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people. We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defence Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian Foreign Minister
tehran — Iran said on Friday it had barred a US wrestling team from the Freestyle World Cup competition in retaliation for an executive order by President Donald Trump banning visas for Iranians, state television reported.
The Freestyle World Cup, one of the sport’s most prestigious events, is scheduled for Feb. 1617 and USA Wrestling had previously said it would send a team to the competition in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah.
Tehran has already announced it will stop US citizens entering the country following Washington’s decision to ban refugees and citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries including Iran.
“A special committee in Tehran reviewed their cases and decided to oppose the visit by the US freestyle wrestling team,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted by state television as saying.
“The visa policy of the new American administration gave us no other option but to ban the wrestlers.”
USA Wrestling said that neither they nor United World Wrestling have been officially notified that these reports are accurate.
“We have no official documentation that the USA Wrestling team will be denied the opportunity to participate at the Freestyle World Cup,” USA Wrestling said in a statement.
“The Freestyle World Cup is the annual World dual meet championship, one of the most important events that United World Wrestling hosts each year. —