U.S. imposes new sanctions on Iran targeting Khamenei

U.S. imposes new sanctions on Iran targeting Khamenei

U.S. President Donald Trump

Report by PMOI/MEK

June 24, 2019 - U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday imposing new sanctions on Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his office in a strong measure aimed at designed to escalate pressure on mullahs in Tehran.

Trump imposed sanctions on Khamenei and eight senior Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commanders. The U.S State Department recently designated the IRGC as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” (FTO).

The U.S. President told reporters at the White House on Monday that the sanctions will deny Khamenei and his office access to financial resources, valued at 200 billion dollars, according to a recently released statement by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

“The supreme leader of Iran is the one who ultimately is responsible for the hostile conduct of the regime,” Trump said.

To this day, Washington has sanctioned more than 80% of the regime’s economy in Iran, according to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, currently in the Middle East to meeting with leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The U.S. Treasury Department said Monday those sanctioned also include eight officials of the Guard Corps who supervised “malicious regional activities,” including its ballistic missile program and “harassment and sabotage” of commercial ships in international waters.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at a news conference in Washington that some of the sanctions had been “in the works” and others were a result of “recent activities.” He said sanctions against the Islamic Republic have been effective in cutting off funds to the military and “locking up” the Iranian economy, and that the new penalties would be effective as well.

Mnuchin said the U.S. is set to impose financial restrictions on Iranian regime Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif “later this week.”

Trump told reporters Monday that, “A lot of restraint has been shown by us, a lot of restraint -- and that doesn’t mean we are going to show it in the future, but I thought that we want to give this a chance,” he said.

Any financial institution that knowingly assists with a financial transaction for those who were sanctioned could be cut off from the U.S. financial system, according to the Treasury.

Trump had warned of additional sanctions on Saturday. The U.S. is currently sanctioning nearly 1,000 Iranian entities, including banks, individuals, ships, and aircraft. In May, the Trump administration prohibited the purchase of Iranian iron, steel, aluminum, and copper.