US Imposes New Sanctions On Iran

In a statement on Friday, the White House said that the US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing another set of crippling sanctions against Iran that targets several of its top leaders, military commanders, and its infrastructure industry.

The executive order authorises the imposition of sanctions against any individual or entity operating in the construction, manufacturing, textiles, or mining sectors of the Iranian economy or anyone assisting those who engage in this sanctioned business.

"This order will have a major impact on the Iranian economy, authorising powerful secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions," Trump said.

"The Iranian regime has threatened United States military service members, diplomats, and civilians, as well as the citizens and interests of our allies and partners, through military force and proxy groups. The United States will continue to counter the Iranian regime's destructive and destabilising behaviour," he added.

The latest round of sanctions is among a series of retaliatory measures taken by the two nations against each other.

After Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in US drone strike on 3 January, Iran fired missiles at two bases of US forces in Iraq on 8 January.

At a White House news conference, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, along with cabinet colleague Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said the US will continue its economic and diplomatic sanctions on Iran till Tehran announces it will not pursue the nuclear weapons program and stop its destabilising behaviour in the region.