Middle East
An Iranian military speedboat patrols the waters as a tanker prepares to dock at the oil facility on Khark Island, Iran, on March 12, 2017. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US government announced expanded sanctions on Iranian petroleum and chemical interests on Friday, citing Tehran's unprecedented missile attack on Israel earlier this month and suggesting that other countries could soon add their own sanctions.
"The new designations today also include measures against the 'Ghost Fleet' that carries Iran’s illicit oil to buyers around the world," National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan said in a press briefing.
On October 1, Iran launched around 180 ballistic missiles toward Israel. Tehran said the barrage was in response to killing Hezbollah secretary general Hasan Nasrallah, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan.
The State Department detailed that the new sanctions include "six entities engaged in Iranian petroleum trade and identifying six vessels as blocked property.”
"These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources," Sullivan added.
The White House said US President Joe Biden’s decision was made after consulting with world leaders, “many of whom will announce their own measures.”
"These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources used to support its missile programs and provide support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States, its allies, and partners,” Sullivan said.
The State Department also hinted that it is in the process of determining more sanctions "against any person determined to operate in the petroleum or petrochemical sectors of the Iranian economy."
Reuters reported on Friday, citing unnamed European sources, that the European Union is expected to impose new sanctions on entities linked to Iran for supplying Russia with missiles but did not elaborate on petroleum- or chemical-related sanctions.
As Israel considers a response for the missile barrage, Biden has said Washington is urging Israel not to attack Iranian oil facilities.
Against the backdrop of Palestinian Hamas’ large-scale attack that reignited a Israel-Gaza war, the former has escalated its strikes on Gaza, Lebanon and parts of Syria over the past year, targeting Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran’s Islamic Republic Guard Corps (IRGC).
Over the past year, the US military has increased its naval presence in the Middle East, occasionally engaging with the IRGC in the Persian Gulf and Houthi rebels in Yemen.
"The new designations today also include measures against the 'Ghost Fleet' that carries Iran’s illicit oil to buyers around the world," National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan said in a press briefing.
On October 1, Iran launched around 180 ballistic missiles toward Israel. Tehran said the barrage was in response to killing Hezbollah secretary general Hasan Nasrallah, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan.
The State Department detailed that the new sanctions include "six entities engaged in Iranian petroleum trade and identifying six vessels as blocked property.”
"These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources," Sullivan added.
The White House said US President Joe Biden’s decision was made after consulting with world leaders, “many of whom will announce their own measures.”
"These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources used to support its missile programs and provide support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States, its allies, and partners,” Sullivan said.
The State Department also hinted that it is in the process of determining more sanctions "against any person determined to operate in the petroleum or petrochemical sectors of the Iranian economy."
Reuters reported on Friday, citing unnamed European sources, that the European Union is expected to impose new sanctions on entities linked to Iran for supplying Russia with missiles but did not elaborate on petroleum- or chemical-related sanctions.
As Israel considers a response for the missile barrage, Biden has said Washington is urging Israel not to attack Iranian oil facilities.
Against the backdrop of Palestinian Hamas’ large-scale attack that reignited a Israel-Gaza war, the former has escalated its strikes on Gaza, Lebanon and parts of Syria over the past year, targeting Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran’s Islamic Republic Guard Corps (IRGC).
Over the past year, the US military has increased its naval presence in the Middle East, occasionally engaging with the IRGC in the Persian Gulf and Houthi rebels in Yemen.
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