Trump Imposed More Sanctions on Iran Following Targeting a U.S Drone

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The U.S President Donald Trump has signed an executive order and imposed more sanctions on Iran following tensions between the United States and the Middle Eastern country. Tension has escalated following an attack on an American surveillance military drone. This order will stop accessing financial instruments of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei and others. Trump also declared the essential measure to stop Iran access to nuclear weapons. The United States clearly sent a message after a downed spy drone nearly pulled the U.S into a war with the Iranian regime. But it remained doubtful whether the restrictions imposed would have any significant impact on an opaque regime that largely operates outside of mainstream global business and financial channels controlled by the United States.

Trump said in his Oval Office, “We will continue to increase pressure on Tehran. Never can Iran have a nuclear weapon”. Trump stressed his administration is not interested in a military conflict with Iran, even though the president reportedly called off an attack at the last minute last week in retaliation for the drone incident. Trump also said, “We do not seek conflict with Iran or any other country. I can only tell you we cannot ever let Iran have a nuclear weapon”. I think a lot of restraint has been shown by us, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to show it in the future, but I felt that we want to give it a chance. I think Iran has a phenomenal future”.

The US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions target specific military leaders allegedly responsible for shooting the U.S drone within international space zone. Mnuchin pointed out that Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Khamenei are among those targeted and that the sanctions target Iran’s “chain of command” in order to lock up the $Billions worth of Iranian assets. Mnuchin said in the White House briefing room, “Along with our existing sanctions. We have additional sanctions to go after the supreme leader’s office and lock up literally billions of dollars worth of assets. Along with that action today, we are also announcing specific sanctions targeting those responsible for recent activities”.