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US Sanctions 5 Iranian Entities 'Key' To Ballistic Missile Program

January 07, 2018 19:42·
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

Members of Congress have been working since then to come up with a bipartisan compromise that would give Mr Trump enough political cover not to reimpose sanctions on Iranian oil before a deadline next week, an action that would kill the pact.

"These sanctions target key entities involved in Iran's ballistic missile program, which the Iranian regime prioritises over the economic well-being of the Iranian people", Mnuchin said.

The five entities targeted by the sanctions are subsidiaries of the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group, part of Iran's Defense Ministry.

Earlier, the State Department had warned that Iranian officials involved in the arrest or killing of protesters would be held to account.

In its January 4 announcement, the U.S. State Department also said it had added three individuals linked to Al-Qaeda to its global terrorist list. To the regime's victims, we say: "You will not be forgotten", the statement said.

Critics of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani say he has abandoned the poor by trying to raise fuel prices, which he said was necessary to fight unemployment.

The United Nations Security Council was scheduled to meet late yesterday to discuss Iran, days after USA ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley called for an emergency session to discuss the protests.

State television on Thursday showed huge crowds in 10 cities marching in support of Iranian leaders, including in Isfahan, Ardebil and Mashhad, where the protests started.

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Worldwide financial institutions can also be sanctioned if they provide support to the Iranian entities.

The Trump administration certified Iran's compliance twice past year, but in October Trump for the first time declined to certify, pointing to Iran's ballistic missile development and other matters which he said were in violation of the "spirit" of the deal.

Meanwhile in NY, an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, called for by the United States, was to discuss the ongoing unrest later Friday.

Iran's U.N. ambassador, Gholamali Khoshroo, sent a letter Wednesday to the U.N. Security Council and U.N. chief Antonio Guterres saying that in "numerous absurd tweets" Trump and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence were "inciting Iranians to engage in disruptive acts".

"The United States will continue to decisively counter the Iranian regime's malign activity, including additional sanctions targeting human rights abuses", Mnuchin said.

Aides said they were looking at measures including ending the requirement that Mr Trump re-certify the deal every 90 days and changing some of the sunset provisions to allow the reimposition of USA sanctions, with no timetable, if Iran's nuclear programme reaches certain thresholds.

"The underlying sentiment is broadly shared in the population", Jeffrey told VOA.

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