WASHINGTON: The US on Friday imposed new sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile program, one day after Tehran tested a satellite-launch rocket — an act that Washington had called “provocative.”
The US Treasury singled out six companies owned or controlled by Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG), which it said was central to Iran’s missile program, freezing their US assets and barring US citizens from dealing with them.
Foreign financial institutions could face punitive measures if they deal with the sanctioned entities, it added.
SHIG was already under UN, US and European Union sanctions.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions “underscore the United States’ deep concerns with Iran’s continued development and testing of ballistic missiles and other provocative behavior.”
He warned that Washington would “continue to aggressively counter Iran’s ballistic missile-related activity, whether it be a provocative space launch, its development of threatening ballistic missile systems, or likely support to Yemeni Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia such as occurred this past weekend.”
According to the Treasury, “space launch vehicles use technologies that are closely related to those of an intercontinental ballistic missile and this launch represents a threatening step by Iran.”
Iranian state television broadcast footage of the takeoff from the Imam Khomeini space center, named after the late founder of the Islamic republic, in Semnan province in the east of the country.
The report said the launch vehicle, named Simorgh after a bird in Iranian mythology, was capable of propelling a satellite weighing 250 kilograms (550 pounds) to an altitude of 500 kilometers (300 miles) above earth.
Western states suspect Iran of developing the technology capable of launching long-range ballistic missiles with conventional or nuclear payloads, a charge denied by Tehran, which insists its space program has purely peaceful aims.
Tensions have mounted between Washington and Tehran since US President Donald Trump took office six months ago.
US imposes new sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile program
US imposes new sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile program
50,000 perform Ramadan Taraweeh prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque
- Worshippers gather amid heightened tensions in occupied West Bank
- Hundreds of Jerusalemites ordered not to enter mosque during holy month
LONDON: About 50,000 Palestinian worshippers performed the Isha and Ramadan Taraweeh prayers on Sunday evening at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the walled city of occupied East Jerusalem.
The crowds gathered despite Israeli military checkpoints and strict identity checks at the mosque’s gates, according to the Jerusalem Governorate.
Palestinians are observing the Muslim holy month, which began on Wednesday, amid heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank, including attacks by settlers and raids and arrests by the Israeli army.
More than 300 Jerusalemites recently received Israeli orders prohibiting their entry to Al-Aqsa during Ramadan, the Wafa news agency reported.
Israeli forces have increased their military presence in Jerusalem and restricted access to the mosque for children under 12, men over 55 and women over 50.
Since Wednesday, thousands of Palestinians have lined up to pass through military checkpoints, including at Qalandiya and Bethlehem, in the hope of attending prayers at Al-Aqsa.
