The White House is currently working on new sanctions against people and companies contributing to Iran’s ballistic missile program. The Treasury department will issue new designations, following the two ballistic missile tests that Iran has conducted since signing the nuclear deal in July, US officials told The Wall Street Journal. The new sanctions will be imposed only weeks before the nuclear deal is due to be implemented.
Treasury has the right under the agreement to blacklist Iranian entities found to be involved in missile development, alongside Iranian groups that support international terrorism and human-rights abuses. The Administration has argued that those activities are being dealt with without any connection to the nuclear deal. But the consensus among critics of the White House on Wednesday was that the worst sanctions the Treasury might impose are tiny in comparison to the huge gain Iran will soon receive from sanctions relief under the nuclear deal.
Still, the Iranians are not taking this lying down, and a Foreign Ministry spokesman in Tehran announced Iran will respond to any US interventionist action against the Islamic Republic’s defense program.
“Such actions are unilateral, arbitrary and illegal and the Islamic Republic of Iran has warned US in this respect,” the spokesman said, adding, “As the US officials have mentioned before, Iran’s missile program is not related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).” He said there is nothing to prevent Iran from pursuing its legitimate right of reinforcing its defense strength and national security.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Treasury plans to target around a dozen individuals and companies in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong that have been involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program. The sanctions will freeze the US assets of these individuals and companies, bar Americans from doing business with them and exclude them from the US financial system.