WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the US Treasury Department imposed a new round of sanctions against Iran, adding 12 entities and 13 individuals to the OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals list, after Tehran carried out a missile launch.
The move comes after US President Donald Trump said that Iran is "playing with fire," adding that he will not be "as kind" as former US leader Barack Obama had been.
"I hope the measures announced today by the Trump administration will serve as a first step towards a comprehensive strategy to counter Iran’s malign influence and protect America’s national security interests," the release stated on Friday.
On Wednesday, Michael Flynn, the US national security adviser, announced that the White House had issued an unprecedented notice as a result of missile tests.
A day later, Trump confirmed Flynn’s remarks, saying that Tehran was "formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile."
The Iranian supreme leader’s top aide commented on the statements, saying that Tehran will continue missile tests in accordance with its defense program and US' warnings are a "bluff."
Dehqan also underlined the fact that these tests violated neither the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nor UN Resolution 2231.
On July 14, 2015, Iran, the European Union, and the P5+1 group of countries signed the JCPOA to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program. Under this agreement, Iran pledged to refrain from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for the lifting of sanctions imposed against Iran. A UN resolution was passed shortly afterwards, reaffirming the nuclear agreement.
