US DOJ May Announce Several Cases With Iranian Suspects Within Month

US Justice Department may make public a number of cases with Iranian suspects within a month, including one connected to the hacking of HBO broadcaster, according to US media reports.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — In late July, it emerged that HBO underwent a major cyberattack, with hackers claiming to have acquired terabytes of data, including scripts and related content for the broadcaster's flagship series, Game of Thrones. The full extent of the hack is unclear.

Last month US national security prosecutors were asked to consider whether any of the ongoing investigations, involving Iranian suspects, could be made public, the Washington Post newspaper reported on Sunday, citing sources.

A number of US officials have reportedly been worried that the cases might be publicized in connection with the US administration's desire to introduce new sanctions on Tehran.

The relations between Iran and Washington, one of Saudi Arabia's most important military suppliers, have worsened over the past months. In October, Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to halt the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iranian nuclear deal, said his administration had decided not to certify that Iran was in compliance with the accord, which stipulates the gradual cancellation of the Western sanctions in exchange for Tehran abandoning its nuclear program. Trump's claims caused strenuous objections from Tehran.     

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel earlier said that he agreed with the foreign ministers of France, the United Kingdom as well as with top EU diplomat Federica Mogherini that the nuclear deal reached in 2015 should be maintained.

"We are united in that we want to maintain an agreement on Iran's nuclear program, otherwise we risk that the state will create nuclear weapons," Gabriel said. 

After consultations in Washington, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the European Union insists that all countries comply with the implementation of the nuclear deal with Iran, including the United States.    

On July 14, 2015, Iran and six international mediators (the Russian Federation, the United States, Great Britain, China, France and Germany) reached a historic agreement on the settlement of the long-standing problem of Iranian nuclear energy: a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was adopted, the implementation of which lifts previously-introduced economic and financial sanctions against Iran.