America imposes new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the Iranian nuclear program
The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Wednesday the imposition of a new package of sanctions targeting a network of individuals and entities in Iran and China, as part of international efforts to contain the Iranian nuclear program.
This move came just days after a set of UN sanctions were re-imposed on Tehran last Sunday, which had previously been lifted under the historic 2015 nuclear agreement.
Under the "non-proliferation" classification, the U.S. sanctions targeted a number of individuals and entities, who are suspected of contributing "directly or indirectly to Iran's nuclear program or the development of its ballistic missiles," according to the official website of the department.
Washington re-imposed its sanctions after the European "troika" countries - Britain, France, and Germany - activated what is known as the "snapback mechanism" outlined in the nuclear agreement, accusing Tehran of "failing to meet its commitments."
It is worth noting that this is not the first time the United States has re-imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, as former President Donald Trump had reinstated them - including a ban on purchasing Iranian oil - after withdrawing from the nuclear agreement during his first term.
The crisis continues amid fears from Western countries about "the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons," which Tehran strongly denies, while firmly defending its "right to develop a nuclear program for peaceful purposes."
