Iran Press/America: The targets were announced by the so-called Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) nations — which also include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was on a Middle East trip to finalize details of an economic development plan for the Palestinians, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon.
All 25 targets were previously sanctioned by the United States."The TFTC's action coincides with my trip to the Middle East, where I am meeting with my counterparts across the region," Mnuchin said in the Treasury statement according to VOA.
On Monday, Mnuchin said the United States would increase economic pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, making the pledge during a Middle East trip that includes visits to US allies Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Sanctions reimposed on Tehran by the US President Donald Trump after he withdrew the United States from world powers' 2015 nuclear pact with Tehran.
Twenty-one of the targets announced Wednesday comprised a vast network of businesses providing financial support to the Basij Resistance Force, the Treasury said.
A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) said despite the fact that humanitarian trade is exempt from US sanctions, Washington's unilateral measures have hindered ordinary Iranians access to critical medicine and adversely affected the health system's provision of medical equipment. 101/211/216
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