BY:Adam Kredo
The Trump
administration is expected to ratchet up pressure on Iran with a slew of new
sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic's illicit ballistic missile program
and regional support for terrorism as the landmark Iranian nuclear deal hits
its two-year anniversary, according to senior U.S. officials who deemed Iran in
violation of the agreement's "spirit."
News of the new
sanctions comes on the same day that Iranian military leaders threatened
attacks on U.S. forces and bases in the Middle East should America move forward
with new sanctions, particularly ones targeting the Iranian RevolutionaryGuards Corps, or IRGC.
The new sanctions
are part of a larger White House effort to counter Iran's massive military
buildup and rogue militant activities across the Middle East, specifically in
Syria, where Iranian-backed forces have launched a series of direct attacks on
American forces in recent weeks.
U.S. official
dubbed Iran "the most dangerous threat to U.S. interests" and
promised a series of new efforts both militarily and policy oriented to combat
the Islamic Republic's illicit activities.
The new sanctions
are being leveled outside the purview of the nuclear deal, meaning that they
are all non-nuclear related and do not violate conditions of the deal barring the
United States from engaging in such activity.
The Trump
administration is continuing to perform a full-scale review of its Iran policy,
including the nuclear deal. The review is set to be completed in about a
month's time, according to the administration.
The White House
must make a decision by Tuesday on whether it will recertify that Iran is in
compliance with the deal. The administration is likely to again certify Iran as
in compliance of the agreement, despite mounting evidence this not the case. Deliberations
in the White House had not concluded as of late Monday morning, but
officials signaled they were leaning towards certifying Iran as not in
technical violation.
U.S. officials
were hesitant to deem Iran in direct violation of the deal, but said Tehran
"is in default on the spirit of that agreements," according to senior
administration officials who spoke on background.
"Years of
concessions … have resulted in the unintended effect of empowering Iran across
the region," one senior administration official said about
the package of new sanctions on multiple Iranian individuals and entities
tied to the country’s ballistic missile program and proliferation efforts.
"What we're
saying is Iran is in default of the spirit of the JCPOA," or Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Iran deal's official title. "We need to
ensure more aggressively they are in compliance with the letter of the
JCPOA."
U.S. officials
said that Iran has obfuscated key details of its nuclear program, and continues
to engage in activities that could be in violation of the agreement.
"Iran has
been less than forthcoming, walking up to the edge of violating the
JCPOA," one senior U.S. official said. "That behavior has to
stop."
Officials also
criticized key flaws in the deal that allow Iran to engage in critical nuclear
work within the next decade.
The United States
plans to "ramp up our efforts to verify reports" of Iran's alleged
violations, officials said.
As part of the
effort to combat Iran's activities, the Trump administration is expected to
announce an additional package of sanctions that includes 16 Iranian
entities and individuals found to be supporting Tehran's illicit and criminal
activities in the region. This includes seven entities and five individuals
found to be supporting the Iranian military and criminal organizations.
Sanctions also
have been leveled on three networks designated as supporting Iran's military
procurement and another two organizations supporting Iran's ballistic missile
program.
As news of the
expected new package of sanctions came, Iranian military leaders issued
new threats warning of attacks on U.S. regional bases should the Trump
administration move forward with plans to sanction the IRGC and designate it as
a terror group.
"Putting the
IRGC in one single class with the terrorist groups and imposing similar
sanctions against the IRGC poses a major risk to the U.S., its bases and forces
deployed in the region," Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, chief of staff of Iran’s
armed forces, warned on Monday during remarks before
IRGC commanders.
Baqeri also
lashed out at sanctions on Iran's ballistic missile program, stating, "The
Islamic Republic of Iran's missile power is defensive and is never negotiable
at any level."
originally
published in the freebeacon
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