US Delivers New Sanctions on Iran

The Trump administration on Friday imposed sanctions on 13 people and a dozen companies in response to Iran's recent ballistic missile test, reports the AP. Those targeted by the Treasury Department include various individuals and companies involved in procuring ballistic missile technology for Iran. They include Iranians, Lebanese, Chinese, and Emirati individuals, all of whom are now blacklisted from doing business in the US or with US citizens. Under the landmark nuclear deal struck with Iran under President Obama, the US cannot impose nuclear-related sanctions, and it says these don't violate that agreement.

In a tweet Friday morning, Trump said: "Iran is playing with fire—they don't appreciate how 'kind' President Obama was to them. Not me!" The action will almost surely increase tensions with Iran. Tehran insists it has the right to conduct ballistic missile tests now that its nuclear program has been sharply curtailed. The US and Western countries say Tehran agreed to an eight-year extension of a ban on ballistic work in nuclear negotiations two years ago. That agreement was concluded in parallel, but separately to the nuclear accord. (More Iran stories.)