The US imposes fresh sanctions against Iran over weapons programme -

Washington: On Friday, the US State and Treasury Department announced new sanctions against Iran. 14 Iranians and 17 entities have been targeted with the new sanctions. While announcing the fresh sanctions, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed the sanctions imposed till now to be successful. Two weeks ago, the United States had demanded that the UN Security Council should impose harsh sanctions against Iran.

The United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia and its allies are consistently accusing Iran of violating the international sanctions. The United States and Israel have also accused that Iran is very close to manufacturing a nuclear weapon. However, the United Nations, along with European allies of the United States like Germany, France and the United Kingdom have provided backing to the Iran nuclear program. Although, US President Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal, Germany, France and the United Kingdom stand firm on the nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, last year, the United States imposed sanctions against Iran, in three stages. Assistance was sought from Germany, France and the United Kingdom to relieve Iran from these sanctions imposed by the United States. It is for this purpose that all the three countries have jointly created ‘INSTEX’, an exchange system defying the United States and have claimed that this system will help alleviate the Iranian financial troubles.

At the same time, the United States had prepared to impose new harsh sanctions against Iran, ignoring the stand of the European countries. The Friday announcement is a part of the same plan that targeted Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research with sanctions. It also includes scientists connected with the Iranian nuclear as well as the missile program. The US Treasury department informed that action had been taken against the ‘Shahid Karimi Group’ and ‘Shahid Chamran Group’ working for the ‘Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research’ (SPND).

Earlier, the United States had imposed sanctions on the SPND in 2014. The United States has claimed that this organisation is closely connected with the Iranian nuclear program and Iran is trying to keep under control, the factors related to nuclear technology, through this organisation.