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New sanctions on Iran prove America can’t be trusted: Analyst

Friday, 01 January 2016 5:06 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 01 January 2016 5:17 PM ]

The US Treasury Department is reportedly planning to impose more sanctions against Iran over its missile program.

America’s planned financial sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile program is a “flagrant breach” of the Iran nuclear deal and proves that the US can’t be trusted, an author and radio host in Chicago says.

“Imposing new sanctions based on a fraudulent pretext that has nothing to do with the nuclear agreement is tantamount to violating the agreement entirely,” Stephen Lendman told Press TV on Friday.

The new sanctions prove that “Washington simply cannot be trusted, no matter what it says,” Lendman said.

The author predicted that relations between Washington and Tehran will deteriorate even further, regardless of who controls the White House and Congress.

On Wednesday, reports had surfaced that the US Treasury Department would impose sanctions against individuals in Iran, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates following Iran’s missile testing in October and November.

On Thursday, however, the Wall Street Journal reported that the White House has delayed its plan to impose the new sanctions, amid growing tensions with Iran over the July 14 2015, nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Under the agreement, Iran has been recognized by the United Nations as a nuclear power and will continue its uranium enrichment program, but some restrictions will be placed on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the removal of sanctions.

American officials quoted by the Journal did not give a timeframe for the new possible sanctions.

Some US officials have said the Obama administration reserves the right to sanction Iranian companies and individuals who are involved in the country’s missile program under the nuclear deal.

On Thursday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani issued an order calling on the country’s Defense Ministry to expedite efforts for boosting the country’s missile program.

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