The United States on Thursday placed sanctions on five subsidiaries of an Iranian industrial group that is considered key in the development and production of the country’s ballistic missiles.
The sanctions imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, an arm of the Treasury Department, targeted companies that are owned or controlled by the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group, an Iranian defense entity that already is under U.S. sanctions.
The new sanctions come after a week of anti-government protests that have spread across Iran in towns and small cities that previously were considered bulwarks of government support. President Trump has tweeted his support for the protesters and criticism of the government, warning that “the world is watching.”
Moreover, The United States has delivered a sharp slap on the wrist in the form of an embarrassing trial that implicates a major Turkish bank in what acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim on Jan. 3 called a "massive and brazen" sanctions evasion scheme. This case exemplifies Washington's current efforts to implement a harsher, escalating policy against Iran.
It is all clear that United States is escalating pressure on Iran. Although the protests are erupted last week resulting with deaths during the protests, without a clear leadership the protest will die eventually. However it does not mean that Iran will be calm. United States is putting pressure onIran to make sure that Iran will feel the economic pressure all time where Washington hopes to see some results in future.
