US-Iran: Trump announces 'major' sanctions amid tensions
22-06-2019, 23:49

Font size: [ A+ ] / [ A- ]

 

The US will impose "major" additional sanctions on Iran in a bid to prevent the country obtaining nuclear weapons, President Donald Trump says.

He said economic pressure would be maintained unless the leadership in Tehran changed course.

"We're putting additional sanctions on," he told reporters. "In [some] cases we are moving rapidly."

It comes after Iran announced it would exceed internationally agreed limits on its nuclear programme.

The limit on its stockpile of enriched uranium was set under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. In return, relevant sanctions were lifted, allowing Iran to resume oil exports - the government's main source of revenue.

But the US pulled out of the deal last year and reinstated sanctions. This triggered an economic meltdown in Iran, pushing the value of its currency to record lows and driving away foreign investors.

Iran has responded by scaling back its commitments under the nuclear deal.

"If Iran wants to become a prosperous nation... it's OK with me," Mr Trump said. "But they're never going to do it if they think in five or six years they're going to have nuclear weapons."

"Let's make Iran great again," he added, echoing his campaign slogan from the 2016 presidential election.

In a later tweet, Mr Trump said the "major additional sanctions" would come into force on Monday.

How have US sanctions hit Iran?

The reinstatement of US sanctions last year - particularly those imposed on the energy, shipping and financial sectors - caused foreign investment to dry up and hit oil exports.

The sanctions bar US companies from trading with Iran, but also with foreign firms or countries that are dealing with Iran.

This has led to shortages of imported goods and products that are made with raw materials from abroad, most notably babies' nappies.

The plunging value of the rial has also affected the cost of locally produced staples such as meat and eggs, which have soared in price.

Iran has responded to the economic pressure by violating some of the nuclear deal's commitments. It has also accused European countries of failing to live up to their promises of protecting Iran's economy from US sanctions.

What is the bigger picture?

President Trump's announcement that additional sanctions will be imposed on Iran comes at a time of escalating tensions between the two countries.

On Thursday, an unmanned US drone was shot down by Iranian forces in the Gulf.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the drone's downing was a "clear message" to the US that Iran's borders were "our red line".

But US military officials maintain the drone was in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz at the time.

Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a high-ranking officer in the IRGC, said another military aircraft, carrying 35 passengers, had been flying close to the drone. "We could have shot down that one too, but we did not," he said.

The shooting down of the drone followed accusations by the US that Iran had attacked two oil tankers with mines just outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Mr Trump has said he does not want war with Iran, but warned it it would face "obliteration" if conflict broke out.

 

BBC.COM

 

Comments: 144
#144   Alberta
      
References:


Blackjack sofortüberweisung https://pad.nixnet.services/UF0FYk5fTD6IJ9I-h_TDvg
Today, 03:39
#143   Wilson
      
References:


Casino sofort casino auszahlung sofortüberweisung
Yesterday, 22:33
#142   Stanton
      
References:


Online casino payid withdrawal australia headlinelog.space
Yesterday, 22:17
#141   Eartha
      
References:


Compare neosurf casinos australia neosurf gambling australia
Yesterday, 14:28
#140   Myron
      
References:


Australia casino neosurf http://forum.djwx.com/
10 November 2026 20:51
#139   Irving
      
References:


Quick withdrawal neosurf casinos king-bookmark.stream
10 November 2026 12:04
#138   Finn
      
10 November 2026 05:14
#137   Justine
      
References:


Australia payid pokies best online pokies site
10 November 2026 00:37
#136   Kristan
      
References:


Best neosurf casino bonus aus neosurf
casino no bank account australia
9 November 2026 10:59
#135   Kendrick
      
References:


High roller idebit casinos top idebit casinos
9 November 2026 09:19
#134   Isis
      
References:


Neosurf deposit casino australia neosurf legal casinos australia
30 October 2026 19:59
#133   Justine
      
References:


Australian online casinos neosurf pad.nixnet.services
27 October 2026 19:02
#132   Stephany
      
References:


BPay casino deposit pad.koeln.ccc.de
27 October 2026 11:22
#131   Jeannine
      
References:


Osko pokies real cash www.24propertyinspain.com
23 October 2026 22:24
#130   Israel
      
References:


Online casino Osko deposit http://www.qingdaomop.com/?300074
23 October 2026 11:48
#129   Corrine
      
References:


Neosurf casino payment method australia https://dok.kompot.si
19 October 2026 12:17
#128   Dalene
      
References:


Neosurf casino sign up bonus australia neosurf deposit casino australia
19 October 2026 12:03
#127   Pearlene
      
References:


$10 BPay deposit pokies BPay jackpot pokies
18 October 2026 18:58
#126   Janell
      
References:


Online pokies bpay bonus https://hedgedoc.envs.net/or9ZhvhdSBC-G6n0hySZlA
18 October 2026 12:32
#125   Oscar
      
References:


Safe payid pokies australia trusted payid pokies australia
18 October 2026 00:44
Add Comments

Name:*
E-Mail:
  Geo Keyboard  
 

Dear reader, guardian.ge welcomes your comments. Please express your views on topic and be respectful of others.

bold italic underline strike | align left centered align right | Ensert smilies insert linkInsert protected URL Choice the color | hidden text insert quote Convert selected text from transliteration to Cyrillic alphabet Insert spoiler

Code: *


Back1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next