Nov. 12 (UPI) — The United States on Wednesday imposed another tranche of sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile and drone production capabilities, as the Trump administration continues to target Tehran under the resumption of its so-called maximum pressure campaign.
Thirty-two individuals and entities in Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, India, Germany and Ukraine were blacklisted Wednesday on accusations of operating weapons procurement networks for Iran.
According to the U.S. Treasury, Iran is seeking to reconstitute its proliferation capabilities following its 12-day armed conflict with Israel in mid-June, and the sanctions announced Thursday are to hinder that effort by blocking proliferation networks from accessing the U.S. financial system.
“Across the globe, Iran exploits financial systems to launder funds, procure components for its nuclear and conventional weapons programs, and support its terrorist proxies,” Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley said in a statement.
“At the direction of President Trump, we are putting maximum pressure on Iran to end its nuclear threat.”
Iran — and its nuclear capabilities — has been a focal point of Trump’s foreign policy since his first term. In 2018, he unilaterally withdrew the United States from the Obama-era landmark multinational Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, calling it “defective at its core,” and reimposed sweeping sanctions designed to force Iran back to the negotiating table.
Iran, instead, advanced its nuclear activities, including enriching uranium to higher levels, while restricting monitoring.
In February, a month after returning to office, Trump reimposed his maximum pressure campaign on Iran. Then in September, the United Nations reimposed an arms embargo and other sanctions on Iran for violating the JCPOA.
The sanctions imposed on Wednesday are the second of punitive measures the Trump administration has imposed since the U.N. reimposed its sanctions on Iran.
“The United States will continue to use all available means, including sanctions on entities based in third countries, to expose, disrupt and counter Iran’s procurement of equipment and items for its ballistic missile and UAV programs, which jeopardize regional security and international stability,” U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement, adding that the Thursday actions were in support of the U.N.’s reimposition of sanctions targeting Iran.