President Trump on Monday slapped Iran by issuing new “hard-hitting” financial sanctions against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his associates in Iran.
“Today’s action follows a series of aggressive behaviors by the Iranian regime in recent weeks including shooting down a U.S. drone,” the president said in the Oval Office, calling Khamenei “responsible for the hostile conduct of the regime.”
Less than a week after Iran shot down a $180 million drone — which Iranian officials claim was flying over Iranian airspace — the Treasury Department said “any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant financial transaction for entities designated under this Executive Order could be cut off from the U.S. financial system.”
After Iran shot down the U.S. drone, the U.S. military retaliated with a cyber attack against the nation. Then last Thursday, Trump moved forward with planned airstrikes, then called the attack off at the last minute. “I stopped it, not … proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone,” Trump wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
But Trump said he’s showing “restraint” with the new sanctions.
“We will continue to increase pressure on Tehran until the regime abandons its dangerous activities and its aspirations including the pursuit of nuclear weapons, increased enrichment of uranium, development of ballistic missiles, engagement in and support for terrorism, fueling of foreign conflicts, and belligerent acts directed against the United States and its allies,” Trump said. ““Never can Iran have a nuclear weapon. We do not seek conflict with Iran or any other country. I think a lot of restraint has been shown by us, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to show it in the future.”
Trump also said the sanctions came about because of the drone attack.
“Today’s actions follow a series of aggressive behaviors by the Iranian regime in recent weeks, including shooting down of US drones,” Trump said. “The supreme leader of Iran is one who ultimately is responsible of the hostile conduct of the regime. He’s respected within his country. His office oversees the regime’s most brutal instruments including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
