US Treasury Secretary Announces Possibility of New Sanctions Against Iran

On the eve of the deadline for President Trump's decision on the suspension of nuclear sanctions against Iran, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stated that he expects Donald Trump to announce new sanctions against Iran. According to a Reuters report, Mnuchin told reporters on Thursday that he anticipates new sanctions will be imposed on Iran. He added, 'We are still monitoring them. We have prepared sanctions, and I think you can expect new sanctions to come.' Under the Iran nuclear agreement, the US President expresses his opinion on the extension of the suspension of sanctions every 120 days. The current 120-day deadline ends on Friday, January 12, and it is expected that Trump will make an announcement on this matter. Reuters reported that a US official announced on Wednesday that if Trump extends the suspension of sanctions against Iran, he may announce additional targeted sanctions against individuals and entities in Iran. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that some of Trump's senior advisors have urged him to 'extend' the suspension of sanctions under the nuclear agreement with Iran and not to reinstate the suspended sanctions; however, according to this report, Trump has shown reluctance regarding the extension of the suspension. The US Treasury Secretary also stated that Trump has clearly emphasized the need for changes to the Iran nuclear agreement. According to the German news agency, Mnuchin emphasized that Trump has previously stated that many aspects of the nuclear agreement need to be changed. He mentioned that there are other activities outside the nuclear agreement, including those related to ballistic missiles and other issues that will continue to be sanctioned outside of the JCPOA, including human rights violations. Earlier this year, Trump refused to certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement and emphasized that if the agreement is not amended in cooperation with Congress and US allies, he will withdraw from it. Trump believes that Iran's continued missile activities and the regional policies of the Islamic Republic are 'inconsistent with the spirit of the nuclear agreement.' He has also expressed concern about the 'sunset clause' in the Iran nuclear agreement. The 'sunset clause' pertains to the lifting of restrictions after the time period of the nuclear agreement with Iran, raising concerns that 'Iran could achieve the capability to build nuclear weapons even before the agreement expires.' The statements from the US Treasury Secretary regarding the potential announcement of new sanctions against Iran come as reports indicate that Trump and his national security advisors have been discussing whether to extend the suspension or resume sanctions against Iran at the White House on Thursday afternoon. According to Steven Goldstein, the US Under Secretary of State, Trump's decision on this matter may be announced on Thursday night or Friday. Meanwhile, the 90-day deadline for another assessment of Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement is about to end, and once again, the US President must express his opinion on this matter.