[ad_1]
The administration of outgoing US President Donald Trump imposed new sanctions on Iran, while Tehran responded that the maximum pressure policy had failed and said it hopes the next US administration led by President-elect Joe Biden will return to the nuclear deal from which Washington retired more than two years ago.
This step comes about two months before Trump leaves the White House, amid reports that he may have discussed options for a military strike against Iran.
The new sanctions announced by the State Department and the US Treasury on Wednesday targeted dozens of individuals and entities associated with Iran, including the “Mostazafan” charity, which Washington says is subordinate to Iranian leader Ali Khamenei.
According to a statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the sanctions include Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alawi, Revolutionary Guard Brigadier General Haider Abbas Zadeh and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Colonel Reza Babi.
Pompeo confirmed that his country will impose more sanctions on Iran in the coming weeks and months.
The US State Department justified the new sanctions by implicating Iranian officials in serious human rights violations.
He stressed that the United States will continue to support the Iranian people, calling on the regime to treat its people with the respect and dignity they deserve.
For its part, the United States Department of the Treasury has published on its website details of the Iranian personalities and entities subject to the new sanctions, which include the freezing of possible financial assets in the United States for targeted individuals and entities.
Explaining the additional package of sanctions against Iran, US Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin said that Khamenei is using the “Mostazafan” Foundation to support his allies under the guise of charitable work.
Iranian response
Commenting on this step, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said, in a statement, that any new US sanctions at this stage are only psychological warfare against the Iranians.
He added that the US policy of maximum pressure has become a policy of maximum failure and has not achieved its objectives, noting that the nuclear agreement remains in force as a binding agreement by resolution of the UN Security Council.
And he added that he does not negotiate on Iran’s defense capabilities, nor does he compromise its national security.
Unconditional return
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his country would return unconditionally to implement all its pending nuclear obligations, should the new US administration lift the sanctions.
Zarif said his country will re-implement its suspended nuclear obligations if the new US administration lifts its sanctions (Anatolia)In remarks he made today, Zarif expected Washington to return to the nuclear deal in 2015 during the presidency of Joe Biden, who won the presidential election based on unofficial results, stressing that there is no need for negotiations or conditions to lift the sanctions.
He added that if the next US administration wanted to become a member of the nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from in May 2018, Iran is ready for talks on how to return to the deal.
The Iranian minister said that Biden may, after assuming his duties, issue 3 presidential decisions repealing all sanctions, adding: “If the United States fulfills its obligations under Security Council Resolution 2231, we will also fulfill our obligations under the nuclear agreement “.
On Monday, the American New York Times revealed that last week Trump sought the opinion of his advisers on the possibility of attacking an Iranian nuclear site, possibly the “Natanz” facility, for the remainder of the period before his expected handover of power. January 20.
He stressed that Iran would respond to any American attack, even though it had ruled out Trump.
Centrifuges
Meanwhile, Iran’s delegate to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kazem Gharib Abadi, confirmed today the news of the pumping of uranium hexafluoride gas in new centrifuges that have been installed at the Natanz nuclear facility.
Gharib Abadi said the gas was pumped into 174 second-generation centrifuges, according to the IAEA report released Tuesday.
An earlier report from the agency had indicated that Iran had installed the new devices.
This step is the latest violation of the nuclear deal that stipulates that Iran can store enriched uranium using only the first generation of centrifuges, which is the only model it has the right to use at the facility.
The agency has again asked Iran to provide explanations about a nuclear site that it suspects of having unauthorized nuclear activities, and its director general Rafael Grossi said the information received by the agency from Tehran about the site still lacks credibility.
[ad_2]
