U.S. preparing new sanctions against Iran

By Azernews

By Kamila Aiyeva

The U.S. administration of President Donald Trump is preparing new sanctions against Iran, which could be introduced this week.

The sanctions may be introduced as early as Friday, RIA Novosti reported with the reference to Reuters. It is offered to impose sanctions against eight organizations on charges of supporting terrorism and around 17 companies in accordance with an earlier decree of the President of the U.S. on the distribution of weapons of mass destruction.

At the same time the sanctions will be introduced partly as a response to Iran's recent ballistic missile test.

An agreement with Iran on the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program is expected not to be affected by the sanctions.

Despite the fact that the U.S. is committed to lifting sanctions over nuclear program against Iran, the country retains other sanctions against Tehran. Some of these penalties are over Iran's human rights policies and its support for terrorism.

These sanctions bar American citizens and companies from most forms of investment or trade with the country.

Iranian authorities claim that it violates the essence of the agreement on the nuclear program, while Washington disagrees with that.

The negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue began in 2004, as Western nations were accusing Tehran of developing a "secret military nuclear program." Since 2006, negotiations with Iran were led by the "six" of international mediators (the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany). A number of resolutions were adopted requiring Iran to stop enriching uranium with nuclear proliferation purposes. These resolutions were progressively accompanied by restrictive measures to persuade Iran to comply. In 2006-2010 the United Nations, the United States and the European Union implemented several packages of sanctions against Iran.

Lengthy negotiations resulted in the adoption of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the fulfillment of which could completely remove previously lifted economic and financial sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, the United States and the European Union. The long-anticipated deal was achieved in Vienna on July 14, 2015, that committed Iran not to produce weapons-grade plutonium for 15 years, to keep no more than 300 kg of enriched uranium to 3.67 percent, and to convert nuclear facilities and use them exclusively for peaceful purposes.

In December, Washington prolonged the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) by the United States that passed in 1996 and was set to expire on December 31, 2016.

The Bill on extension of sanctions came into force without President Barack Obama's signature. Although Obama refused to sign it, he expressed no veto claims. Thus, the Bill became law as it had been passed by both chambers of the U.S. Congress by an overwhelming majority.