US fires Iran sanctions

Washington - The sanctions are the first against Iran in Donald Trump's new presidency,

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 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.
Past Curbs
Six US presidents have slapped sanctions on the regime since 1979
1979 - President Carter imposed a series of sanctions, beginning with a ban on Iranian oil imports, followed by blocking all $12 billion in Iranian government assets in the US. In 1980, the administration imposed an embargo on trade with and travel to Iran.

1983 - After the 1983 bombing of US Marine peacekeepers in Lebanon, Washington tightened restrictions. During the Iran-Iraq War, the administration also imposed restrictions on exports to Iran of dual-use items that could be adapted for military use.
1996 - Congress overwhelmingly passed the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act during President Clinton's tenure.
2005 - The Bush administration issued a series of orders to freeze the assets of firms and individuals said to be involved in Iran's support for terrorism.
2010 - Obama administration sanctioned many Iranian individuals and institutions for a wide variety of reasons, from human rights abuses to drug trafficking, as well as for proliferation.
2017 - Trump administration sanctions 12 Iranian companies and 13 individuals over the country's ballistic missile tests.
Source: United States Institute of Peace

• MENA