America announces new sanctions on Iran after missile and drone attack on Israel

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday announced new sanctions on Iran targeting its unarmed aerial vehicle production following attacks on Israel, and US President Joe Biden said G7 leaders would work together to increase economic pressure on Tehran. Are committed to.

Biden said the United States and its allies helped Israel repulse the April 13 missile and drone attack and now they are holding Iran accountable with new sanctions and export controls.

“The sanctions target leaders and entities associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s Defense Ministry, and the Iranian government missile and drone programs that enabled this brazen attack,” Biden said in a statement.

“And our allies and partners have issued or will issue additional sanctions and measures to restrict Iran’s destabilizing military programs,” Biden said.

A statement from the US Treasury Department said the US measures targeted 16 individuals and two entities enabling Iran’s UAV production, including the engine types powering Iran’s Shaheed variant UAVs, which are used in 13 Was done in the April attack.

Treasury said it also designated five companies in multiple jurisdictions for providing component materials for steel production to Iran’s Khuzestan Steel Company (KSC), one of Iran’s largest steel producers, or purchasing KSC’s finished steel products. doing.

Also targeted were three subsidiaries of Iranian automaker Bahman Group, which were said to have materially supported Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The US Commerce Department is also imposing new controls to restrict Iran’s access to technologies such as basic commercial grade microelectronics, the statement said.

Tehran says it carried out the attack in retaliation for an alleged Israeli attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus on April 1, which killed two generals and several others on April 1. Israel has said it will retaliate, while a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander said Thursday Iran may review its “nuclear doctrine” after Israeli threats.

As well as its action, the UK is imposing sanctions targeting a number of Iranian military organisations, individuals and entities involved in Iran’s UAV and ballistic missile industries, the Treasury said.

According to an official notice, Britain said the sanctions include the General Staff of the armed forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in the statement, “We are using Treasury’s economic tools to degrade and disrupt key aspects of Iran’s malign activity, including its UAV program and its regime to support terrorism.” Also includes revenue generated by.”

“We will continue to deploy our sanctions authority to confront Iran with further actions in the coming days and weeks.”

The US statement came as finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven industrialized democracies said after a meeting on Wednesday that they agreed to reduce Iran’s ability to acquire, produce or transfer weapons to support regional instability. Will ensure close coordination of any future measures. activities.”

EU leaders also decided to increase sanctions against Iran on Wednesday as concerns grew about a wider conflict in the Middle East following Tehran’s attack on Israel.