U.S. to take further steps to isolate Iran

The Obama administration on Monday will name Iran, including its central bank, as a territory of "primary money laundering concern," say senior U.S. officials, in an effort to further pressure Tehran after recent disclosures about its alleged role in terrorism and nuclear weapons proliferation, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The U.S. Treasury Department won't formally sanction Iran's central bank, Bank Markazi, as many Republican and Democratic lawmakers are demanding.

But U.S. officials said this new action would serve as a warning to governments and businesses in Europe, Asia and Latin America to wind down their ties to Bank Markazi and their purchases of Iranian crude oil, as even tougher actions likely will be coming down the road.

"This allows foreign countries to think about how to protect themselves and wean themselves off Iranian oil in a way that doesn't disrupt the energy markets," said a senior U.S. official briefed on the new action.

"This says: 'You should be thinking quite seriously about cutting off your ties to the central bank," the official said.

The Obama administration Monday will also sanction "dozens" of Iranian companies and organizations that are allegedly involved in supporting Tehran's nuclear program, including its development of centrifuge machines and a plutonium-producing reactor in the city of Arak.

The U.S. will further announce new sanctions on the sales of goods and services utilized in both Iran's production of petrochemicals and crude-oil exports.


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