The United States announced today that it is imposing new oil sanctions on Iran - just hours after the first round of talks in the Omani capital Muscat, which took place in a "very pleasant atmosphere" in the words of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, reported Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA.
"President Donald Trump has committed to reducing the Iranian regime's illicit exports of oil and petrochemicals as part of his administration's campaign of maximum pressure on Iran," said Tommy Pigott, a spokesman for the US State Department.
"Instead of making efforts for the well-being of its own people and investing in its crumbling infrastructure, the Iranian regime continues to finance destabilizing activities around the world and intensify its repression at home," the spokesman added.
The new sanctions target 15 entities, two individuals and 14 vessels from the shadowy fleet engaged in the illicit oil trade. The sanctioned ships include those flying the flags of Turkey, India and the United Arab Emirates, the State Department said.
The sanctions were announced after US and Iranian delegations met in Muscat and agreed to "continue negotiations" according to the Iranian foreign minister.
Donald Trump has stepped up his threats of potential military intervention in Iran after the bloody crackdown on protests in late December and early January and has deployed large naval forces to the Persian Gulf.
The US sanctions also freeze all assets in the US owned by the sanctioned individuals and entities.
They prohibit any company or US citizen from trading with them, otherwise they risk becoming subject to sanctions themselves.