SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Monday announced new “hard-hitting” sanctions on Iran, including on the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump signed an executive order imposing the sanctions, which he promised after pulling back on a military strike against Iran for the shooting down of an American drone.
The president said the U.S. does not seek conflict with Iran, but in singling out Iran’s leader he said, “The Supreme Leader of Iran is one who ultimately is responsible for the hostile conduct of the regime. He is respected within his country. His office oversees the regime’s most brutal instruments.”
“A lot of restraint shown by us — a lot of restraint — and that doesn’t mean we’re going to show it in the future,” Trump said.
He said, “Never can Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
At the same time, Trump said he looked forward to lifting the sanctions once Iran agreed to negotiate.
After Trump spoke, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared in the White House briefing room and said the sanctions would also hit the commander of Iran’s air force he said was responsible for the shooting down of the unmanned U.S. surveillance aircraft.
He said the sanctions would affect multiple other top officials in Iran’s “chain of command” and would lock up billions more in Iranian assets. He said some of the sanctions had already been in the works while others were the result of Iran’s recent actions.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.