Trump Vows to Slap New Sanctions on Iran
Trump Vows to Slap New Sanctions on Iran
The Trump administration plans new sanctions for Iran after the Saudi oil attack, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces an uncertain future, and the U.N. Security Council votes on a truce in Syria.
After the suspected Iranian attack on Saudi oil infrastructure over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to “substantially increase” sanctions on Iran. His administration is expected to reveal plans for the unspecified economic measures later this week. Iran continues to deny that it carried out the strikes, which were claimed by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
But the announcement raises a question: What’s left to sanction? U.S. sanctions have already cut Iran off from the global financial system, pushing the country’s inflation rate above 40 percent. Still Iran has refused to negotiate. All that is left is a near-total economic blockade. Experts say this response could be seen as weak, Keith Johnson reports.
Rouhani meeting off the table. Amid the growing tensions with Iran, a meeting between Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week looks even more unlikely. Iranian state media reported on Wednesday that Rouhani’s advance team hasn’t been granted visas to travel to the United States, jeopardizing Rouhani’s attendance at the event.
The new national security advisor. Meanwhile, Trump has announced a new National Security Advisor to replace John Bolton: Robert O’Brien, a relatively unknown figure with little government experience. The choice signals Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s power within the administration, FP reports.
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Read more at: Foreign Policy
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