US imposes fresh sanctions on Iran to stop 'death and mayhem' in Middle East

The United States imposed new sanctions on Iran’s defence ministry and other individuals allegedly involved in its nuclear program, asserting its earlier declaration that all UN sanctions have been restored. The US also announced sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for “conventional arms-related activities” under the new executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Maduro of working with “corrupt officials” in Tehran to flout the arms embargo. Pompeo told a news conference on September 21 that the latest executive order on Iranian sanctions gives the United States a “new and powerful tool” to enforce an arms embargo and hold those accountable who seek to evade UN sanctions.

"The Trump Administration has made clear that the United States will do whatever it takes to prevent..Iran...from spreading death and mayhem throughout the Middle East and the world," the State Department said in a statement.

“The UN arms embargo on Iran is now re-imposed indefinitely, and we will ensure that it remains in place until Iran changes its behavior,” it added.

However, the European signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), also known as Iran nuclear deal, said that the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and has no legal standing to trigger snapback. Britain, France, and Germany said in a joint statement that they have worked tirelessly to preserve the nuclear agreement and remain committed to doing so.

Read: Iran President Rouhani Vows 'crushing Response' To US After Sanction Declaration

Read: EU Representative Confirms US Cannot Trigger Return Of Iranian Sanctions

The refusal from other parties of the JCPoA to recognise America’s unilateral declaration of sanctions raised questions whether the United States has been isolated on the issue. Pompeo said the US made very clear that every member-state in the UN has a responsibility to enforce these sanctions, claiming that it’s Iran which has been isolated and not the United States.

“We will have every expectation that those nations enforce these sanctions,” said Pompeo.

'Nothing new'

Reacting to new sanctions, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that the announcements were “nothing new.” Zarif told a virtual meeting of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations that the United States has exerted all the pressure it could, hoping it will bring Iran to its knee but “it did not.” Earlier, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had said that the United States “faces defeat” in its unilateral attempt to return sanctions on Iran through snapback mechanism.

Read: Iran Says US Has 'no Respect For International Laws', Terms Sanctions 'illegal'

Read: Iran's Foreign Minister Says US Claims Of Reinstating Sanctions 'completely False'