Reports from Washington indicate that the Obama administration is developing new Sanctions against companies and individuals from Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong over alleged links to Iran’s ballistic missile program. The sanctions come months after Iran signed a nuclear deal with the world powers that would see the country significantly restrict its nuclear program in exchange for a substantial reduction of the sanctions imposed on it. This deal, signed by Tehran, was due to be implemented in a few weeks’ time.
According to reports, the Treasury Department is in the process of issuing sanctions to two networks that have been helping Iran develop the missile program. The proposed restrictions would see U.S. nationals and firms banned from doing any business with persons and companies in the networks. U.S.-based banks would also be ordered to freeze their assets held in the U.S.
The sanctions would set up a critical test to the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and world powers. Indeed, officials from Tehran have warned the U.S. that signing the sanctions would be seen by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a direct violation to the said agreement. Iran has maintained that its missile program is only for defense.
U.S. officials claim that Iran conducted two separate ballistic missile tests in October and November this year. The launch is a violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution that will soon be withdrawn once the nuclear deal is implemented. The Treasury Department also added that it retained every right to sanction any and all Iranian entities involved in the ballistic missile development or any such organizations that support human rights abuse or international terrorism.
The sanctions would target UAE-based Mabrooka Trading and its parent, Hossein Pournaghshb and, which have been alleged of helping procure the carbon fiber needed for the program. Others also targeted by the sanctions include five Iranian officials suspected to be working on the ballistic missile program. The identities of said agents have not been released yet.
There has been significant worry that the ballistic missiles could eventually be used to carry nuclear warheads, and thus, the reason the missile tests have become such a sensitive issue especially for the United States. The tests come in contrast to the progress that the nuclear agreement had produced. Iran’s atomic energy agency reported that 11 tons of uranium materials had been sent to Russia on Monday, a move that was lauded by the U.S. government as “significant progress” under the nuclear agreement between Tehran and the world powers signed in July this year.
“The failure to impose consequences on Iran for its violation sets a dangerous precedent before implementation of the nuclear agreement when sanctions are lifted and the leverage shifts to Iran. With inaction over the missile tests … the nuclear deal is getting off to a terrible start,” said Bob Corker (Republican chair of the Senate foreign relations committee).
Iran stands to gain a lot once the nuclear agreement is implemented. Tehran will be allowed to return to the international financial system; billions of its funds in frozen assets would be released, and it would be permitted to sell greater quantities of its oil abroad. Thus, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei must ponder if he is prepared to risk all that for the ballistic missile program.
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