US Sanctions Iran’s Oil Minister Following Trump’s Diplomatic Letter

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and certain vessels linked to Iranian crude oil exports shortly after President Trump communicated a letter to Iran. These actions are part of the administration’s maximum pressure strategy against Iran, which has been rebuffed by Iranian leaders who see negotiations as pointless without adherence to prior agreements.

The United States Treasury Department has implemented new sanctions against Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and various vessels involved in Iran’s crude oil exports, following a letter delivered by President Donald Trump to Iran. Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the President of the United Arab Emirates, conveyed the letter to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

In a statement made on Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clarified that the sanctions specifically target Paknejad and three entities interacting with the Iranian oil trade in China, along with naming three shipping vessels associated with these transactions as blocked properties. The Treasury noted that Paknejad supervises the export of significant amounts of Iranian oil, linking vast resources to Iran’s armed forces.

The designated vessels include the Hong Kong-flagged “Peace Hill” along with its owner, Hong Kong Heshun Transportation Trading Limited, the Iran-flagged “Polaris 1,” the Seychelles-registered “Fallon Shipping Company Ltd,” and the Liberia-registered “Itaugua Services Inc.” Tammy Bruce, a US State Department spokeswoman, stated that this action reinforces President Trump’s strategy of maximum pressure on the Iranian regime.

Iran has faced continuous Western sanctions primarily due to its nuclear program and other reasons. The current administration has intensified these sanctions since its inauguration in January, reaffirming the maximum pressure policy aimed at the Islamic Republic. The recent sanctions were implemented shortly after Trump’s letter, which implied potential military action should Iran not comply.

In response, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, dismissed the prospect of diplomacy with Trump, arguing that the US president’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal undermines any notion of negotiations. He characterized Trump’s invitation for talks as deceptive, asserting that the US aims to control public perception, portraying itself as a peacemaker while casting Iran as intransigent.

The Ayatollah also referred to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), emphasizing that the US’s withdrawal in 2018 left the agreement’s future uncertain. He criticized Trump for abandoning the signed agreement, arguing that further negotiations would only tighten the existing sanctions rather than result in their removal.

In summary, the United States continues to escalate its sanctions against Iran, specifically targeting key figures and vessels in the Iranian oil industry. This action aligns with the Trump administration’s maximum pressure policy, which has faced stark rejection from Iranian leadership. Ayatollah Khamenei has expressed that negotiations under the current administration would be futile, particularly given the history of the nuclear deal abandonment. The complexities of US-Iran relations remain tense, posing significant implications for international diplomacy.

Original Source: www.presstv.ir