The U.S. imposed fresh sanctions on Iran as President Donald Trump seeks to punish Tehran for its ballistic missile program after warning the Islamic Republic that it is “playing with fire." As Bloomberg reports, the Treasury Department published a list of 13 individuals and 12 entities facing new restrictions, some for contributing to proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and others for links to terrorism.
Additional headlines from the Trump administration:
- U.S. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS U.S. WILL “CONTINUE TO RESPOND” TO IRAN’S BEHAVIOR “AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL” TO PRESSURE THEM TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR
- U.S. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS “IRAN HAS A CHOICE TO MAKE” WITH REGARD TO ITS BEHAVIOR IN THE REGION
- U.S. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS IRAN SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED BY ACTIONS AGAINST THOSE THAT FURTHER ITS SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM OR AID ITS BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM
- U.S. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS SANCTIONS TODAY ARE “CRITICAL TO COMBATING IRAN’S MALIGN ACTIVITIES” OUTSIDE SCOPE OF NUCLEAR DEAL
- U.S. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS SANCTIONS TODAY ARE “JUST INITIAL STEPS IN RESPONSE TO IRANIAN PROVOCATIVE BEHAVIOR”
The reaction is clear - USD extending its losses and crude rallying...
“A coordinated, multifaceted effort to push back against a range of illicit Iranian behavior is long overdue,” Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Cmte, says in statement.
- “After speaking with General Flynn this morning, I am very encouraged by the professionalism with which the administration has orchestrated these actions”
- “I look forward to working with the Trump administration and my congressional colleagues in a bipartisan manner to strongly enforce nuclear restrictions and further hold Iran accountable”
Meanwhile, RIA is reporting that Russian foreign ministry officials have remarked that "sanctions against Iran are counter-productive."
The following individuals have been added to OFAC's SDN List:
- AL-HAJJ, Yahya (a.k.a. AL-HAJ, Yahya; a.k.a. AL-HAJ, Yehia Issa Mohamad); DOB 23 May 1959; POB Aramta, Lebanon; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Gender Male; Passport RL 2544590 (Lebanon) issued 07 Jun 2013 expires 07 Jun 2018 (individual) [SDGT] [IRGC] [IFSR].
- ASGHARZADEH, Abdollah; DOB 16 Sep 1968; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- DARIAN, Tenny (a.k.a. SHAKHDARIAN, Tenny); DOB 06 Sep 1979; POB Tehran, Iran; citizen Iran; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Passport B23545963 expires 05 Mar 2017 (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- EBRAHIMI, Hasan Dehghan (a.k.a. IBRAHIMI, Hasan Dahqan); DOB 21 Mar 1961; POB Dezfool, Iran; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Gender Male; Passport U19707756 (Iran) issued 12 May 2011 expires 11 May 2016 (individual) [SDGT] [IRGC] [IFSR].
- FARHAT, Muhammad 'Abd-al-Amir (a.k.a. FARHAT, Mohammad; a.k.a. FARHAT, Mohammad Abdul Amir); DOB 23 Aug 1969; POB Kuwait; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Gender Male; Passport RL 2325452 (Lebanon) expires 31 Jul 2017 (individual) [SDGT] [IRGC] [IFSR].
- MAGHAM, Mohammad; DOB 16 Sep 1970; nationality Iran; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Passport H22452336 (Iran) (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- ROSTAMIAN, Kambiz, Villa No 13, Cluster 31 Juemierah Islands, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; DOB 27 Aug 1960; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Passport RE0003026 (Saint Kitts and Nevis); alt. Passport I17217816 (Iran) (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- SHARIFI, Ali (a.k.a. SALEHI, Ali); DOB 23 Feb 1966; POB Tehran, Iran; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Gender Male; Passport M31335740 (Iran); alt. Passport U30608043 (Iran) (individual) [SDGT] [IRGC] [IFSR].
- XIANHUA, Qin (a.k.a. QIN, Jack; a.k.a. XIANHUA, Jack); DOB 08 Jan 1979; citizen China; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Passport E31457650 expires 21 Oct 2023 (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- YUE, Richard (a.k.a. YAODONG, Yue); DOB 22 May 1974; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- ZAHEDI, Mostafa (a.k.a. KHAZE, Karim; a.k.a. LIU, Jhon; a.k.a. OMAR, Asem; a.k.a. "IBRAHIM, Mohammad"; a.k.a. "IBRAHIM, Mohammed"); DOB 29 Jun 1978; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- ZARGARI, Ghodrat (a.k.a. ZARGARI, Ghodratollah); DOB 1944; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- ZHOU, Carol; DOB 30 Oct 1982; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
The following entities have been added to OFAC's SDN List:
- COSAILING BUSINESS TRADING COMPANY LIMITED, 2808 Number 1 Building, 98 Nanjing Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, China; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- EAST STAR COMPANY (a.k.a. SATEREH SHARGH MOBIN CO.; a.k.a. SATEREH SHARGH SAMIN CO., LTD.; a.k.a. SETAREH SHARGH CO.), Unit 5, Third Floor, 15th Street, Bokharest Avenue, Tehran, Iran; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- ERVIN DANESH ARYAN COMPANY (a.k.a. ERVIN DANESH), 5th Floor, No. 78, Forsat Shirazi Street, North Kargar Street, Tehran, Iran; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- MAHER TRADING AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY (a.k.a. MAHER TRADING AND ENGINEERING; a.k.a. "MAHER COMPANY"), Concord building, 7th floor, Verdan, Beirut, Lebanon; Harik Harik, on the street near al-Husnayn Mosque, Malik bin Qazzam, 5th floor, Beirut, Lebanon; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [SDGT] [IRGC] [IFSR].
- MIRAGE FOR ENGINEERING AND TRADING (a.k.a. "MIRAGE FOR ENGINEERING"), Kalim Bechara Building, 2nd floor, Trabulsi Street, Badaro, Beirut, Lebanon; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [SDGT] [IRGC] [IFSR].
- MIRAGE FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES SARL, PO Box 113/6655, Msieleh Main Road, Rabiyeh Building, 2nd floor, Msieheh, Lebanon; Website www.miragewm.com; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [SDGT] [IRGC] [IFSR].
- MKS INTERNATIONAL CO. LTD. (a.k.a. MKS INTERNATIONAL; a.k.a. MKS INTERNATIONAL GROUP), Office No 4, Babataher Street, Dr Fatemi Avenue, Tehran, Iran; PO BOX 14155-4618, Tehran, Iran; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- NINGBO NEW CENTURY IMPORT AND EXPORT COMPANY, LTD. (a.k.a. NEW CENTURY IMPORT AND EXPORT CO. LTD), 5 Hongtang South Road, Jiangbei, Ningbo 315033, China; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- OFOG SABZE DARYA COMPANY, Unit Seven, Fourth Floor, Number 18, 15th Street, Khaled Eslamboli Street, Beheshti Avenue, Tehran, Iran; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- REEM PHARMACEUTICAL (a.k.a. REEM PHARMACEUTICAL, LLC; a.k.a. REEM PHARMACEUTICAL, S.A.R.L.; a.k.a. REEM PHARMACEUTICAL, SAL), Kalim Bechara Building, 2nd floor, Trabolsi Street, Badaro, Beirut, Lebanon; Website www.reempharma.com; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [SDGT] [IRGC] [IFSR].
- ROYAL PEARL GENERAL T.R.D. (a.k.a. ROYAL PEARL CHEMICAL; a.k.a. ROYAL PEARLS; a.k.a. ROYAL PEARLS GENERAL TRADING), PO Box 74382, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Office No. 8, Near Regal International, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai 74382, United Arab Emirates; Website www.royalpearlchem.com; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [NPWMD] [IFSR].
- ZIST TAJHIZ POOYESH COMPANY (a.k.a. POOYESH ENVIRONMENTAL INSTRUMENTS; a.k.a. ZIEST TAJHIEZ POOYESH), 16, Afshar Alley, Fajr Street, Motahari Avenue, Tehran, Iran; Website www.pooyeshenviro.ir; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions [NPWMD] [IFSR].
The following changes have been made to OFAC's SDN List:
- DODIK, Milorad, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina; DOB 12 Mar 1959; Gender Male (individual) [BALKANS]. -to- DODIK, Milorad, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina; DOB 12 Mar 1959; Gender Male (individual) [BALKANS].
Ahead of the announcement, Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said, "Iran unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people." He added later: "We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense."
Iran has responded...?
Iran will bar the American wrestling team from a major international meet this month in response to President Trump’s order severely limiting travel from several Muslim-majority countries, including Iran.
Bahram Qasemi, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, announced the ban Friday morning, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.