United States has stepped up its sanction on Iran for ”supporting terrorist” and pursuing nuclear activities. Secretary os States, condoleezza Rice, announced penalties targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and three states-owned banks.
She said the moves are part of” a comprehensive policy to confront the threatening behaviour of the Iranians” , The sanctions were backed by Britain, but a top Iranian parliamentarian dismissed them as a ” strategic mistake”,
The United States declared the Revolutionary Guards a ” proliferator of weapons of mass destruction”, a reference to ballistic missiles they are allegedly developing, while their elite overseas operations arm, the Quds Force, was singled out as a ”supporter of terrorism”.
The classification will allow the United States to target the Iranian Military’s finances. The united States has repeatedly accused Iran of destabilising Iraq and Afghanistan, blaming the Revolutionary Guards for supplying and training insurgents.
”Rice said” Unfortunately the Iranian government continues to spurn our offer of open negotiations, instead threatening peace and security by pursuing nuclear technologies that can lead to a nuclear weapon, building dangerious ballistic missiles, supporting Shia militants in Iraq and terrorists in Iraq Afghanistan, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, and denying the existence of a fellow member of the United Nations, threatening to wipe Israel off the map”.
Under Execvtive Order 13382, United States authorities will be able to freeze the assets of, and prohibit any United States citizen or organization from doing business with the Revolutionary Guards. Iran’s Ministry of Defence, which contols the country’s defence industry, three Iranain banks, and several companies owned by the Guards will also be designated.
” These action will help to promote the International financial system from the Illict activities of the Iranian government” Rice said.
The Guards’ Quds Force will be further targeted under Executive Order 13224, which authorises the United States to identify individuals, business, Charities and extremist groups engaged in terrorism.