Trump Heavy Sanctions Iran, Attack Ayatollah Khamenei

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – United States (US) and relations Iran heating up. The US government began imposing broad sanctions targeting Iran on Wednesday (11/18/2020).

One of them blacklisted the foundation controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and targeted Iran’s human rights abuses a year after its deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters.

The sanctions announced by the US Treasury, which also target Iran’s intelligence minister, are the latest to strengthen the Trump administration’s ‘maximum pressure’ campaign against Iran.

The campaign comes before Trump will hand over power to President-elect Joe Biden after losing the November 3 election.

The department imposed sanctions on the main patronage network for Khamenei. It said it included Bonyad Mostazafan or the Oppressed Foundation, which is controlled by Khamenei, in a move targeting 10 individuals and 50 foundation subsidiaries in various sectors including energy, mining and financial services.

The sanctions freeze the US assets of those targeted. Generally this prohibits Americans from doing business with Iran. Anyone who engages in certain transactions with individuals and entities from Iran is at risk of US sanctions.

Charitable foundations or economic, cultural and social welfare institutions have amassed huge amounts of wealth to the detriment of Iran’s economy, as well as controlling hundreds of companies and property seized since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, according to insider information.

The Treasury Department in a statement accused Khamenei of using the foundation’s holdings to “enrich his office, reward his political allies and persecute enemies of the regime”.

“The United States will continue to target key officials and revenue-generating sources that enable the regime’s continued oppression of its own people,” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

Alireza Miryousefi, spokesman for Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York, called the new sanctions a “sign of desperation” by the Trump administration.

“The latest attempt to continue the failed policy of ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran and its citizens will fail, like all other efforts,” said Miryousefi.

While the foundation’s blacklisted head, Parviz Fattah, tweeted, “The US government’s declining struggle cannot affect the foundation’s anti-sanctions activity and its productivity.”

Fattah, who was among those blacklisted, described Trump as “a loser and a bother.”

US-Iran tensions have escalated since Trump two years ago abandoned the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that was drawn up by President Barack Obama.

Trump also reinstated tough economic sanctions designed to force Tehran into broader negotiations to curb its nuclear program, ballistic missile development and support for regional proxy forces.

President-elect Biden, who will take office on January 20, 2021, said he would return the US to the nuclear deal, if Iran continues compliance.

(Head / head)

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