US hits Iran with fresh sanctions

US President Donald Trump has ratcheted up economic pressure on Tehran but appears to be wavering on military action

The US Treasury has sanctioned five Iranian security officials it says were involved in “violence and cruel repression” against citizens. The move comes as US President Donald Trump appears to be climbing down from threats of military action against Iran.

The sanctions target Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, and several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and law enforcement commanders. The Treasury also sanctioned another 18 individuals and entities accused of helping Iran evade oil sanctions, while the US State Department sanctioned Iran’s Fardis Prison.

“Treasury knows that like rats on a sinking ship, you are frantically wiring funds stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world. Rest assured, we will track them and you,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a video statement on Thursday.

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Iran has been gripped by riots since late December, triggered by persistent inflation and a sharp dive in the value of the Iranian rial. Tehran insists that what began as a legitimate airing of economic grievances quickly spiraled into a quasi-insurrection, with foreign agents arming violent rioters and instructing them to shoot at security agents in order to provoke a harsh crackdown and trigger American intervention.

Israeli media and Washington insiders, such as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have hinted that Mossad agents played a key role in instigating the riots.

US President Donald Trump has publicly mulled military action against Iran in recent days. Trump told CBS News on Tuesday that he would take “very strong” action if Tehran executed rioters. However, he said on Wednesday that the “killing in Iran has stopped,” and “they’re not gonna have executions.”

The US’ Arab allies in the region have cautioned Trump against attacking Iran. According to the Wall Street Journal, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar have all told the US president that any instability could rattle oil markets, while the fall of the Iranian government could shift power to the more hardline IRGC.