US announces new sanctions on Iran after missile strikes on bases in Iraq

S Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirmed the US decision to impose further sanctions on Iran on Friday during a White House press conference. (AP)
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Updated 13 January 2020
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US announces new sanctions on Iran after missile strikes on bases in Iraq

  • The sanctions will hit eight senior Iranian individuals involved in Tuesday's strikes on US positions
  • Mnuchin said the move would cut off access to "billions of dollars" for the regime

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s senior policy adviser and special representative for Iran Brian Hook has detailed the expanded sanctions on Iran.

The new sanctions were announced by the White House to target eight senior Iranian leaders as well as the country’s metals industry, which Hook said is funding Iran’s foreign policies.

The sanctions were announced earlier by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. 

Hook said that the expanded sanctions include Iran’s construction, manufacturing, textiles and mining industries. He added that they will also target 22 Iranian organizations and three shipping vessels operating in the iron, steel, aluminum and copper sectors.

Hook named one of the eight newly sanctioned Iranian leaders as Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. 

“What’s important about these officials is that these eight have carried Iran’s terror plots and campaigns of mayhem across the region. They are complicit in the recent murders of around 1,500 Iranians protesting their freedom,” said Hook.

He added: “As you know, the secretary of state created a tip line for the Iranian people to submit photos and videos and evidence of regime abuse. We have sanctioned the minister of communications and technology for turning off the internet shortly after the protests ended. We also sanctioned some judges. And today we are sanctioning eight senior Iranian leaders who were involved in brutalizing the Iranian people.”

During a brief teleconference with journalists, Hook addressed the justifications for the expanded sanctions, but not the impact they will have on Iran’s civilian population.

The expanded sanctions follow the decision by Trump to break the nuclear arms deal signed with Iran by his predecessor Barack Obama, and the US’ assassination of Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani.

Hook said Suleimani was crucial to Iran’s campaign of targeting and killing hundreds of Americans over his 20 years as the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s most important adviser.

“Suleimani was traveling in the region for the purpose of organizing attacks,” Hook said.

He added: “We have said Suleimani was targeting diplomatic facilities and he was also targeting American service members. He was looking at diplomats and service members, not the first time, because he had orchestrated the repeated attacks on Iraqi military bases that were hosting American coalition forces. 

Hook said that “this wasn’t the first time he has done this. He has been organizing proxies in Iraq for some time. When we had him in the region planning imminent attacks against American people and against American interests, the president then took decisive action. 

“If we had not taken that action and hundreds of people had died, you would be asking me now, why didn’t we do more to prevent Suleimani from killing so many people?”

Hook described Suleimani as “very effective and very lethal,” adding that he “is responsible for the murder of over 600 Americans.” He said Suleimani served as “the glue that held together the proxy forces in the grey zone” in Iraq and Syria.

“The Iran regime will be held accountable for the attacks of its proxies,” Hook said, citing the killing of an American on Dec. 27, 2019, conducted by the Iraqi paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah, which he described as an Iranian proxy in Iraq and Syria. 

“Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism and they are in the most volatile region of the world … Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon,” Hook vowed. 

“The president is issuing an executive order that authorizes the US to impose sanctions on any person operating in or trading with construction, manufacturing, textiles and mining sectors,” Hook said. 

“This order is going to have a major impact on the Iranian economy and leadership."

Hook said that despite the expanded sanctions, the Trump administration is “keeping the door open” to diplomacy.

“This regime is facing its worst financial crisis and its worst political arrest in its 40-year history. The regime has very bad options. They are in a state of panicked aggression,” Hook said. 

He said all of these sanctions “will remain in place until the regime changes its behavior,” adding that he was hoping Iran “will not respond to sanctions with military force.”
 


Trump says had advance notice of Israeli strikes on Iran: Fox News

Updated 55 min 8 sec ago
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Trump says had advance notice of Israeli strikes on Iran: Fox News

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier Thursday that the United States was “not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region”

Washington: US President Donald Trump told Fox News he was aware Israel was going to conduct strikes on Iran before it happened, and stressed that Tehran “cannot have a nuclear bomb,” according to the US broadcaster.

His comments to Fox came after Israel pounded Iran in a series of air raids on Friday, striking 100 targets including nuclear and military sites.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation took aim at the atomic facility in Natanz, while Iranian media said the country’s Revolutionary Guards leader Hossein Salami and armed forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri were killed.

Trump told Fox News that he was made aware of Israel’s operation before it happened.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see,” Trump said, according to Fox News.

Fox News also reported that “Trump noted the US is ready to defend itself and Israel if Iran retaliates.”

It added that Trump’s administration reached out to at least one key Middle Eastern ally to acknowledge that the strike was going to happen, but reiterated that the US was not involved.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier Thursday that the United States was “not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

“Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel.”

Trump will be attending a National Security Council meeting Friday morning.


Jordan closes airspace, says it won’t be battleground for any conflict

Updated 54 min 37 sec ago
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Jordan closes airspace, says it won’t be battleground for any conflict

DUBAI: Jordan has not and will not allow any violation of its airspace, nor will it be a battleground for any conflict, a senior minister said in a statement on Friday.

“Jordan’s national security is a red line, and the Kingdom will not allow any attempt to threaten its security and the safety of its citizens,” Mohammad Momani, Minister of Government Communication and Government Spokesperson added.

Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft and air defense systems intercepted a number of missiles and drones that entered Jordanian airspace Friday morning, a report from state news agency Petra stated.

The interception operation came in response to military assessments that missiles and drones were bound to fall into Jordanian territory, including populated areas, which could cause casualties, Petra added.

Momani also urged the international community to exercise pressure in order to restore calm and prevent further escalation in the region.

Jordan’s aviation authority closed the country’s airspace and grounded all flights after Israel attacked Iran.

“The Kingdom’s airspace is temporarily closed, and air traffic suspended for all aircraft – incoming, outgoing and in transit, as a precaution against any risks resulting from the regional escalation,” the authority said in a statement.

The country’s armed forces were also placed on high alert in response to growing regional tensions, a military source said.

The General Command was closely monitoring developments in the region and that the armed forces were at the highest levels of operational and logistical readiness to respond any potential emergencies, the Petra report noted.


After Israel strikes Iran, airlines divert flights, airspace closed

Updated 10 min 56 sec ago
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After Israel strikes Iran, airlines divert flights, airspace closed

  • Iranian airspace has been closed until further notice, state media reported
  • Six commercial aircraft have been shot down unintentionally and three nearly missed since 2001, according to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions

SEOUL: Airlines cleared out of the airspace over Israel, Iran and Iraq early on Friday after Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran, Flightradar24 data showed, with carriers scrambling to divert and cancel flights to keep passengers and crew safe.

Proliferating conflict zones around the world are becoming an increasing burden on airline operations and profitability, and more of a safety concern.

Six commercial aircraft have been shot down unintentionally and three nearly missed since 2001, according to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions.

Israel on Friday said it targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders at the start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed until further notice, and Israel’s air defense units stood at high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran.

Israeli flag carrier El Al Airlines said it had suspended flights to and from Israel.

Iranian airspace has been closed until further notice, state media reported.

Jordan also closed its airspace to all flights.

Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport said on its social media account that flight disruptions were expected and passengers were ‘advised to check with their airline for the latest status of their flights before travelling to the airport.’

Dubai’s Emirates Airline cancelled its Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran flights on Friday. Qatar Airways also cancelled flights to and from Iraq and Iran.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi also cancelled a number of flights on Friday that were scheduled to fly over areas affected by regional tensions in the Middle East.

As reports of strikes on Iran emerged, a number of commercial flights by airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa and Air India were flying over Iran.

Emirates, Lufthansa and Air India did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Iraq early on Friday closed its airspace and suspended all traffic at its airports, Iraqi state media reported.

Eastern Iraq near the border with Iran contains one of the world’s busiest air corridors, with dozens of flights crossing between Europe and the Gulf, many on routes from Asia to Europe, at any one moment.

Flights steadily diverted over Central Asia or Saudi Arabia, flight tracking data showed.

“The situation is still emerging — operators should use a high degree of caution in the region at this time,” according to Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organization that shares flight risk information.

Several flights due to land in Dubai were diverted early on Friday. An Emirates flight from Manchester to Dubai was diverted to Istanbul and a flydubai flight from Belgrade diverted to Yerevan, Armenia.

Budget carrier flydubai said it had suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran and Israel and a number of other flights had been canceled, rerouted or returned to their departure airports.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East since October 2023 led to commercial aviation sharing the skies with short-notice barrages of drones and missiles across major flight paths – some of which were reportedly close enough to be seen by pilots and passengers.

Last year, planes were shot down by weaponry in Kazakhstan and in Sudan. These incidents followed the high-profile downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 and of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 en route from Tehran in 2020.


Iran’s Khamenei warns Israel faces ‘bitter and painful fate’

Updated 12 min 56 sec ago
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Iran’s Khamenei warns Israel faces ‘bitter and painful fate’

  • Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami was killed in the Israeli military operation

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Israel will face “severe punishment” over its attack on the country.

Khamenei issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. It also confirmed that top military officials and scientists had been killed in the attack.

Israel “opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to commit a crime against our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers,” Khamenei said.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami was killed in the Israeli military operation. He was a veteran officer close to the supreme leader and known for his tirades against Israel and its US ally.

“If you make the slightest mistake, we will open the gates of hell for you,” the white-bearded general warned Tehran’s arch foes during a tour of an underground missile base in January.

An Israeli military official said that the Israeli Air Force targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, without identifying them.

Israel for years has warned it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, something Tehran insists it does not want – though officials there have repeatedly warned it could.


UN nuclear watchdog says ‘closely monitoring’ situation after Israel strikes Iran

Updated 13 June 2025
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UN nuclear watchdog says ‘closely monitoring’ situation after Israel strikes Iran

VIENNA: The UN nuclear watchdog confirmed Friday that Israeli strikes were targeting an Iranian uranium enrichment site, saying it was “closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation.”
“The IAEA is closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran. Agency can confirm Natanz site among targets,” International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said in a post on the agency’s X feed, as the IAEA’s board of governors meets this week in Vienna.
“The agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country,” he added.