Trump puts sanctions on Iranian supreme leader, other top officials

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Trump puts sanctions on Iranian supreme leader, other top officials

By Steve Holland and Stephen Kalin

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order imposing fresh sanctions on Iran as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Vice President Mike Pence look on in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 24, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON/RIYADH (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump targeted Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian officials with sanctions on Monday, taking a dramatic, unprecedented step to increase pressure on Iran after Tehran's downing of an unmanned American drone.

 

With tensions running high between the two countries, Trump signed an executive order imposing the sanctions, which U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said would lock billions of dollars more in Iranian assets.

 

Trump told reporters the sanctions were in part a response to last week's downing of a U.S. drone by Iran, but would have happened anyway. He said Khamenei was ultimately responsible for what Trump called "the hostile conduct of the regime" in the Middle East.

Trump said the sanctions "will deny the Supreme Leader and the Supreme Leader's office, and those closely affiliated with him and the office, access to key financial resources and support."

 

 

John Smith, who was director of the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) before joining a law firm last year, said the United States had never targeted an Iranian head of state before and that was a sign Trump was getting personal.

 

"Generally, when you target a head of state you’re not turning back. That is when you believe all options are at an end," Smith told Reuters.

 

Some policy analysts say earlier sanctions issued under Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign are why Iran has felt compelled to adopt more aggressive tactics as its economy feels the crunch. The Trump administration wants to force Tehran to open talks on its nuclear and missile programmes and its activities in the region.

 

Iran would not accept talks with the United States while it is under the threat of sanctions, Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, told reporters at the U.N.

 

The U.S. decision is another indication it "has no respect for international law and order," he said.

 

The U.N. Security Council met behind closed doors on Monday at the request of the United States, whose acting ambassador Jonathan Cohen said evidence showed Iran was to blame for attacks on commercial tankers in the Gulf in May and June and urged the world to tell Tehran its actions were unacceptable.

 

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, responding to the sanctions in a Twitter post, said hawkish politicians close to Trump "despise diplomacy, and thirst for war." Last year, Trump withdrew the United States from a 2015 international accord to restrict Tehran's pathway to a nuclear bomb and has since been ramping up sanctions to throttle the Iranian economy.

 

Mnuchin said Zarif would be targeted with U.S. sanctions later this week.

 

The latest sanctions are aimed at denying Iran’s leadership access to financial resources, blocking them from using the United States financial system or having access to any assets in the United States.

 

"Anybody who conducts significant transactions with these sanctioned individuals may be exposed to sanctions themselves," the White House said.

 

OIL IMPORTS

 

Tensions worsened in May when Washington ordered all countries to halt imports of Iranian oil.

 

"We call on the regime to abandon its nuclear ambitions, change its destructive behaviour, respect the rights of its people, and return in good faith to the negotiating table," Trump said in a statement.

 

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and refers to a religious decree issued in the early 2000s by Khamenei that bans the development or use of nuclear weapons.

 

Sanctions were also imposed on eight senior commanders of Navy, Aerospace, and Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the U.S. Treasury Department said.

 

"These commanders sit atop a bureaucracy that supervises the IRGC’s malicious regional activities, including its provocative ballistic missile program, harassment and sabotage of commercial vessels in international waters, and its destabilizing presence in Syria," the department said in a statement.

 

Trump said the sanctions are a "strong and proportionate response to Iran's increasingly provocative actions."

 

Iran said on Monday U.S. cyber attacks on its military had failed, as Washington sought to rally support in the Middle East and Europe for a hardline stance that has brought it to the verge of conflict with its longtime foe.

 

MARITIME SECURITY

 

Iran denies responsibility for the attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf. On Monday, the United States said it was building a coalition with allies to protect Gulf shipping lanes.

 

A coalition of nations would provide both material and financial contributions to the program, a senior U.S. State Department official said, without identifying the countries.

 

"It's about proactive deterrence, because the Iranians just want to go out and do what they want to do and say hey we didn't do it. We know what they've done," the official told reporters, adding that the deterrents would include cameras, binoculars and ships.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the Middle East to discuss Iran with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two Sunni Muslim allies aligned against Shi'ite Muslim Iran.

 

"Freedom of navigation is paramount," Pompeo tweeted from the Saudi city of Jeddah.

 

 

Iran's Zarif, in his Twitter post, said: "@realDonaldTrump is 100% right that the US military has no business in the Persian Gulf. Removal of its forces is fully in line with interests of US and the world."

 

It was an apparent reference to a tweet in which Trump said other countries should protect their own oil shipping in the Middle East rather than have the United States protect them.

 

The United States accuses Iran of encouraging allies in Yemen to attack Saudi targets.

 

In a joint statement on Monday, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Britain expressed concern over Middle East tensions and the dangers posed by Iranian "destabilizing activity" to peace and security in Yemen and the region.

 

The confrontation between Iran and the United States heated up last Thursday when Iran shot down an American drone, saying it had flown over its air space.

 

Washington, which said the drone was in international skies, then appeared to come close to attacking Iranian military targets, with Trump saying that he aborted a retaliatory air strike 10 minutes before it was to go ahead.

 

Trump said he decided the strike would have killed too many people.

 

Both Iran and the United States have said they do not want war and both have suggested they are willing to talk while demanding the other side move first.

 

Allies of the United States have been calling for steps to defuse the crisis, saying they fear a small mistake by either side could trigger war.

 

"We are very concerned. We don't think either side wants a war, but we are very concerned that we could get into an accidental war and we are doing everything we can to ratchet things down," British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said.

 

U.S. allies in Europe and Asia view Trump's decision to abandon the nuclear deal as a mistake that strengthens hardliners in Iran and weakens the pragmatic faction of President Hassan Rouhani.

 

France, Britain and Germany have sent an official diplomatic warning to Iran if Tehran reduces its compliance with the accord, two European diplomats said on Monday.

 

It was not immediately clear what consequences Iran might face for non-compliance.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Lesley Wroughton in Washington, Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London and Stephen Kalin in Jeddah; Additional reporting by Robin Emmott in Brussels, Roberta Rampton in Washington, Parisa Hafezi in Dubai and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by Steve Holland, Peter Graff; Editing by Jon Boyle, Howard Goller and Grant McCool)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-25

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[geoffbezoz]

Oh dear round two coming Trump's way from Iran shortly no doubt. Does he really think it will boost his next term election chances (Trump that is).   Many leaders have started  a war campaign in order to get the support of a nation previously prior to an election period,  but this time with Trump's falling popularity at home and with the disdain he is held in by many Americans,  well let's see.

 

Whatever the outcome he soon will need a bigger pram to keep his toys and dummies in.

[Tug]

Yeaaa!! I get to pay more for gas along with Donald’s trade war it’s starting to bite are we tired of winning yet?

[George Bowman]

7 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

of an unmanned American drone.

Living in the middle of nowhere Thailand I get my news from the various alphabet sources from around the globe. And they all keep saying the unmanned drone over and over again. Maybe it comes from years of being isolated in the forests of Thailand, but aren't all drones unmanned?

 

[Lungstib]

10 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

"the hostile conduct of the regime" in the Middle East.

Sometimes you just have to shake your head in disbelieve at what politicians are capable of saying. With the U.S. deeply involved in wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and the Yemen, plus backing Israel all the way with its takeover of Arab land, they accuse Iran of hostile conduct. Around the world the U.S. is now considered the country most likely to start wars. Its what they do.

[geoffbezoz]

18 minutes ago, missoura said:

Living in the middle of nowhere Thailand I get my news from the various alphabet sources from around the globe. And they all keep saying the unmanned drone over and over again. Maybe it comes from years of being isolated in the forests of Thailand, but aren't all drones unmanned?

 

Correct term is UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle ).  But "man or manned " seems to suggest a human connection so therefore perhaps some drones are piloted by aliens, well they are are really flying robots anyway ????

[OneMoreFarang]

When will the rest of the world start the sanctions against the USA and it's crazy president?

Without the USA and their constant interventions in the rest of the world that world would be a lot better.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Trump told reporters the sanctions were in part a response to last week's downing of a U.S. drone by Iran, but would have happened anyway.

If they would have happened anyway, then they are not in response to anything. 

[neeray]

I hear that there is going to be a new park built in honour of Trump.

It's going to be called BLUFFERS PARK.

 

Normal presidents get a Presidential Library. Since Trump isn't normal, just a park for him.

 

????

[Emdog]

"The U.S. decision is another indication it "has no respect for international law and order," he said."

and

"Tensions worsened in May when Washington ordered all countries to halt imports of Iranian oil."

And just where did Trump get the idea he could order sovereign states who to trade with? Imagine how he would explode if UK told Trump US couldn't by French fries, had to buy their chips.

Some would say "they are not powerful enough to do xyz whereas US is". In other words, law and order doesn't matter

[ezzra]

Between bombing and sanctions i chose the latter, Trump will not rest until Iran will come to the table and start talking, unlike Europe who only wishes to continue do billions of euros in business with Iran, but Iran is in the grip of a bunch of zealots Mullahs that religion is much more sacredcrate than life and food for the masses, Iran can not be trusted, it's in their DNA to one way or another, control as much as they can and for that the need the ultimate weapon, the nukes...

[bristolboy]

19 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Between bombing and sanctions i chose the latter, Trump will not rest until Iran will come to the table and start talking, unlike Europe who only wishes to continue do billions of euros in business with Iran, but Iran is in the grip of a bunch of zealots Mullahs that religion is much more sacredcrate than life and food for the masses, Iran can not be trusted, it's in their DNA to one way or another, control as much as they can and for that the need the ultimate weapon, the nukes...

What some seem to conveniently forget is that not to long ago Iran played a vital role in getting Isis out of Iraq and Syria. Whilst the prosperous Sunni powers in the region actually supported Islamist forces in Syria. If Trump succeeds in reducing Iran to toothlessness, there's a lot less standing in the way of an Islamist comeback. Iran is certainly no angel, but are the Saudis, the UAE, and Qatar any better? 

[Morch]

1 hour ago, Lungstib said:

Sometimes you just have to shake your head in disbelieve at what politicians are capable of saying. With the U.S. deeply involved in wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and the Yemen, plus backing Israel all the way with its takeover of Arab land, they accuse Iran of hostile conduct. Around the world the U.S. is now considered the country most likely to start wars. Its what they do.

 

Disingenuous? Yes. Hypocritical? Sure.

But the USA statements being both doesn't alter the fact that the Iranian regime's conduct and stance are hostile. One doesn't exclude the other.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

When will the rest of the world start the sanctions against the USA and it's crazy president?

Without the USA and their constant interventions in the rest of the world that world would be a lot better.

 

Probably never. And you know it. The "rest of the world" is incapable of acting effectively on such a scale.

Without the USA, the world wouldn't be a better place.

Without the USA's interventions the world would have been different - "a lot better" is a guess, though.

[Morch]

33 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Between bombing and sanctions i chose the latter, Trump will not rest until Iran will come to the table and start talking, unlike Europe who only wishes to continue do billions of euros in business with Iran, but Iran is in the grip of a bunch of zealots Mullahs that religion is much more sacredcrate than life and food for the masses, Iran can not be trusted, it's in their DNA to one way or another, control as much as they can and for that the need the ultimate weapon, the nukes...

 

You have no idea whether Trump "will not rest". If past instances are something to go by, he seems to be quite satisfied with anything whatsoever which could be used to claim "winning". These "achievements" are often trivial, meaningless or were already in place.

 

I don't think bringing Iran to the negotiations table, by itself, would be much of a "win".

[Proboscis]

Kelly-Anne Conway is now talking about the disruption that Iran is causing now (downing of the drone, interfering in the World's oil supply chain etc) as reasons for imposing sanctions. But none of this would have happened if Trump and company had not interfered in a working agreement and tore it up. While not perfect, the agreement gave everyone most of what they wanted.

 

Meanwhile, the Iranian authorities back home were facing a much greater problem, namely a very restive population who were sick of the mullahs living high on the hog while the rest of the population scratched a living. And no one is happy with the Revolutionary Guards stranglehold on the economy and power either. Had Trump and company waited a year or two, the internal problems of Iran would probably have helped to bring the regime down from within.

 

Instead, by doing what he has done, he has managed to unite the country behind the regime, something that the regime would never have managed on their own. The mullahs must be celebrating and toasting Donald Trump!

 

Meanwhile, how far will the sanctions really work? Yes, they may affect things like spare parts for planes. But oil can go out the "back door" by tanker to Turkmenistan and other countries. It will cost more than by ship but the country won't starve. And Iran has gotten by under sanctions for decades since the fall of the Shah. So, this is nothing new. Russia is not far away and there are plenty of hungry folks in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan who will smuggle in goods over the border. THings will be expensive not not unavailable. They can run their own vehicles and heating on gas, which they have a huge surplus of. So their energy requirements are taken care of.

 

Meanwhile, the Mullahs get to live on and get to cook yet another batch of kids shouting "Death to America" and meaning it this time.

 

[Ozman52]

"The latest round of sanctions denies Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior military figures access to financial resources and blocks their access to any financial assets they have under US jurisdiction.

"For people who say these are just symbolic, that's not the case at all," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"We've literally locked up tens and tens of billions of dollars." https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-25/donald-trump-announces-sanctions-targeting-iran-supreme-leader/11243114

 

You have to wonder how alleged "men of god" accumulate such personal assets. 

[atyclb]

27 minutes ago, Ozman52 said:

"The latest round of sanctions denies Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior military figures access to financial resources and blocks their access to any financial assets they have under US jurisdiction.

"For people who say these are just symbolic, that's not the case at all," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"We've literally locked up tens and tens of billions of dollars." https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-25/donald-trump-announces-sanctions-targeting-iran-supreme-leader/11243114

 

You have to wonder how alleged "men of god" accumulate such personal assets. 

 

 

same way the vatican got its wealth.

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, missoura said:

but aren't all drones unmanned?

Not the one named "Trump."

[candide]

3 hours ago, Ozman52 said:

"The latest round of sanctions denies Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior military figures access to financial resources and blocks their access to any financial assets they have under US jurisdiction.

"For people who say these are just symbolic, that's not the case at all," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"We've literally locked up tens and tens of billions of dollars." https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-25/donald-trump-announces-sanctions-targeting-iran-supreme-leader/11243114

 

You have to wonder how alleged "men of god" accumulate such personal assets. 

In case it's true that they personally own such assets, I cannot believe they left them under U.S. jurisdiction. It sounds like another fake news.

[JulesMad]

7 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Washington ordered all countries to halt imports of Iranian oil.

trumpy and usa have NO business ordering ANY country what to do. I want to know what country obeys whatever that idiot orders. I refuse to believe that there are countries that follow that egocentric hypocrite narcissistic idiot blindly, as those countries are non-existent.

[Morch]

6 hours ago, Proboscis said:

Kelly-Anne Conway is now talking about the disruption that Iran is causing now (downing of the drone, interfering in the World's oil supply chain etc) as reasons for imposing sanctions. But none of this would have happened if Trump and company had not interfered in a working agreement and tore it up. While not perfect, the agreement gave everyone most of what they wanted.

 

Meanwhile, the Iranian authorities back home were facing a much greater problem, namely a very restive population who were sick of the mullahs living high on the hog while the rest of the population scratched a living. And no one is happy with the Revolutionary Guards stranglehold on the economy and power either. Had Trump and company waited a year or two, the internal problems of Iran would probably have helped to bring the regime down from within.

 

Instead, by doing what he has done, he has managed to unite the country behind the regime, something that the regime would never have managed on their own. The mullahs must be celebrating and toasting Donald Trump!

 

Meanwhile, how far will the sanctions really work? Yes, they may affect things like spare parts for planes. But oil can go out the "back door" by tanker to Turkmenistan and other countries. It will cost more than by ship but the country won't starve. And Iran has gotten by under sanctions for decades since the fall of the Shah. So, this is nothing new. Russia is not far away and there are plenty of hungry folks in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan who will smuggle in goods over the border. THings will be expensive not not unavailable. They can run their own vehicles and heating on gas, which they have a huge surplus of. So their energy requirements are taken care of.

 

Meanwhile, the Mullahs get to live on and get to cook yet another batch of kids shouting "Death to America" and meaning it this time.

 

 

I think you are overestimating the coming together effect, or the resilience of Iran and Iranians to the effect of the sanctions. The current ones are harsher than previous versions. If the sanctions weren't really that bad, Iran wouldn't be desperate to life them.

 

Iranians say their ‘bones breaking’ under US sanctions

https://www.apnews.com/9390faa746294f628b93beea57ba1e07

[Morch]

2 hours ago, JulesMad said:

trumpy and usa have NO business ordering ANY country what to do. I want to know what country obeys whatever that idiot orders. I refuse to believe that there are countries that follow that egocentric hypocrite narcissistic idiot blindly, as those countries are non-existent.

 

I think it's bad phrasing. The USA didn't "order" countries to do such a thing. It set sanctions on dealing with Iran. The choice is made by relevant governments and firms. Apparently quite a few comply, including those which are home to many posters.

[sletraveler]

Khomeini is long dead like trump’s brain.  

[marcusarelus]

5 hours ago, JulesMad said:

trumpy and usa have NO business ordering ANY country what to do. I want to know what country obeys whatever that idiot orders. I refuse to believe that there are countries that follow that egocentric hypocrite narcissistic idiot blindly, as those countries are non-existent.

UK and Australia.