Washington:Â The United States is announcing new sanctions on Iran as tensions escalate and Iran threatens to start enriching its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels.
US President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Wednesday announcing new sanctions targeting Iran’s steel, aluminium, copper and iron sectors, which provide foreign currency earnings for Iran’s crippled economy.
And officials say the US is poised to move more military assets to the Middle East, including two additional bomber aircraft and, potentially, some Patriot missile batteries.There is no final decision on the Patriot missiles, and the move could hinge on whether the US believes Iran is taking action to reduce the threat of escalation. The administration has not detailed the threats, but officials say one element involved Iran’s placement of missiles on small boats off its shores, triggering worries that Tehran may be preparing to attack US forces or interests.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran threatened to enrich its uranium stockpile in 60 days if world powers fail to negotiate new terms of the 2015 nuclear deal initially negotiated under former president Barack Obama. The enrichment threat follows the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign of diplomatic and economic measures that have exacted a punishing toll on the Islamic Republic.
In the view of the president and senior officials of his administration, the sanctions have been a success.
Read the article in The Sydney Morning Herald (AP,Reuters).