The U.S. to Sanction 'New Sectors of the Iranian Economy'

A senior official in the Donald Trump administration stated on Monday, April 1, that the U.S. government is considering sanctions on new sectors of the Iranian economy that have not yet been sanctioned. This unnamed senior official told Reuters that the U.S. aims to impose these new sanctions on the anniversary of the United States' withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA, in May 2018. The U.S., Russia, China, France, Britain, and Germany reached an agreement with Iran in 2015 in Vienna to resolve the Islamic Republic's nuclear crisis. Under the JCPOA, Iran accepted limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of nuclear sanctions against the country. Donald Trump, the U.S. President who is a critic of the nuclear deal with Iran, withdrew from the JCPOA on May 8 last year, citing 'violations of the spirit of the agreement,' ballistic missile activities, and Tehran's negative role in the Middle East. Following the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, Trump ordered the reinstatement of sanctions that had been suspended under the agreement. 'On the eve of the anniversary of the sanctions,' this U.S. official stated that the goal is to maintain pressure on Iran, saying: 'We want businesses to continue to think that trading with Iran is the worst idea under these circumstances.' He also mentioned that the new sanctions would be implemented in the coming weeks, adding: 'The sooner we can do this on the eve of the anniversary (of the U.S. withdrawal), the better.' However, this Trump administration official indicated that Washington may not extend the exemptions from Iranian oil sanctions. Reuters reports that the exemptions from Iranian oil sanctions for China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Turkey will be extended. Meanwhile, Brian Hook, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran, stated last week that the oil sanctions against Iran have been successful, and regarding the country whose temporary exemption is about to end, he said that a final decision would be announced later. Previously, reports had emerged that some of these countries, especially India and South Korea, are trying to convince U.S. officials to extend their exemptions. On the other hand, Reuters cited some oil sources reporting that the U.S. intends to reduce the amount of exemptions and further decrease Iran's oil exports by 20%, bringing them below one million barrels per day.