New US-UK sanctions on Iran:
The United States and the United Kingdom have imposed sanctions on 16 individuals and two organizations linked to Iran’s drone and missile programs following the attack on Israel. However, Tehran informed Washington before this attack.
On Thursday (April 18), the two countries known as Israel’s close allies made the announcement. News-CNN.
In a statement announcing the sanctions on Iran, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said, “Today, in coordination with the UK and consultation with partners and allies, we are taking swift and concrete action to respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel.”
The US Treasury Department said in a statement that sanctions are being imposed on Iranian individuals and entities associated with the government’s missile and drone production activities.
Iran used the Shahed variant missile in the April 13 attack. The two companies targeted by the sanctions make engines for Iran’s missiles.
Iran launched the world’s largest missile and drone attack against Israel last week, the statement said. Together with our allies and partners, the United States has defended Israel. We helped defeat this attack. Today (Thursday) we are imposing new sanctions and export controls on Iran.
It also said, “After the attack, I discussed with my fellow G-7 leaders. We are committed to working collectively to increase economic pressure on Iran. Our allies and partners are taking or taking additional sanctions and measures to limit Iran’s destabilizing military program.
“Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iranian attacks, the United States is committed to Israel’s security,” the statement said. We are committed to the safety of our employees and partners in the region.
Incidentally, last Saturday night, Iran directly attacked Israel for the first time in history. On April 1, the attack was carried out in revenge for the death of several senior army officers in an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, the capital of Syria.
In a phone call Tuesday evening, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the next steps in response to the attack.
“He insisted that no one was interested in a counter-attack because it would deepen insecurity in the Middle East. This is a time that needs to be approached with a cool head,” a Downing Street spokesman said.
The G7 group of the world’s seven richest countries is now “coordinating a diplomatic response”.
Iran has indicated that it will consider the matter “finished” if Israel does not respond to the Iranian attack. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned that “the slightest move against Iran’s interests will surely be met with a harsh, widespread, and painful response”.
After talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi on Tuesday, the Kremlin said Iran’s ally Russia had also called for “restraint”.
“Vladimir Putin hopes that all parties will exercise reasonable restraint and prevent any new conflict that would have catastrophic consequences for the entire region,” the Kremlin said.