Hours after global sanctions linked to Iran’s nuclear programme were officially lifted, US President Barack Obama’s administration imposed new sanctions on Iran yesterday because of its development of ballistic missiles.
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“Today is a good day”, Obama said in a White House speech.
The United States actually imposed new sanctions Sunday against 11 individuals and entities involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program.
“Even as we implement the nuclear deal and welcome our Americans home, we recognise that there remain profound differences between the United States and Iran”. The two countries had prolonged negotiations for the exchange as they also crafted an agreement announced last summer to restrict Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. In addition, the US will drop Interpol “red notic es” – essentially arrest warrants – on 14 Iranian fugitives it has sought, officials said.
USA officials have said the Treasury planned to announce the penalties in late December, but held off after Iran’s foreign minister said they could have derailed the prisoner exchange that took place this weekend.
Many local Iranian-Americans who gathered in Westwood said they were encouraged by the deal. The article pointed out that Tehran’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had said new sanctions under any pretext would constitute a breach of the nuclear deal. Those on the plane were Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, Saeed Abedini, a pastor from Idaho, and former Marine Amir Hekmati from MI.
The plan, also known as the nuclear deal, ends Iran’s pursuit for a nuclear weapon in return for the lifting of sanctions.
“A disturbing pattern is emerging where the Obama administration is willing to negotiate the release of spies, terrorists and now criminals”, Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Sunday in a statement.
The International Atomic Energy Agency concluded that the Islamic Republic had curbed its ability to develop an atomic weapon as required under an accord with world powers.
This picture released by the official website of the Iranian Defense Ministry claims to show the launching of an Emad long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile in an undisclosed location.
Several Iranian-Americans held in U.S. prisons after being charged or convicted for sanctions violations were also released, their lawyers told the news agency Reuters on Sunday.
“For decades your government’s threats and actions to destabilize the region has isolated Iran from much of the world”.
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The American Iranian Council, which promotes better relationships between the USA and Iran, went further, praising the deals between Washington and Teheran as portending a turning point after 37 years of icy relations between the two countries, beginning with Iranian revolution of 1979.
