The U.S. is imposing new sanctions on Iran’s missile and drone programs to counter Iran’s threat to Israel and Gulf allies, as well as the negative impact of these weapons in Ukraine. The U.S. is also providing guidance to industries on components sought by Iran to enhance its missile program. In a statement with 45 countries, including the UK and European allies, the U.S. expressed concerns about Iran’s missiles and drones, citing their supply to partners and proxies as a source of international instability and regional tension.
Hamas, which recently carried out an attack on Israeli civilians, receives support from Iran, as does Hezbollah, which has threatened to join the Israel-Hamas conflict. The U.S. designates both Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations. These measures come as a UN embargo on Iran’s weapons program was set to expire.
The Biden administration has urged Iran and its proxies to avoid widening the conflict and has deployed military assets in the region. The U.S. has been working to disrupt Iran’s missile program for some time and will continue to do so as long as Iran poses a threat to regional and global security.
The EU also announced its intention to maintain restrictions on Iran’s drones and missile programs in response to Iran’s non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. Some critics of the deal want Europe to reimpose sanctions lifted under the agreement.
Before the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a prisoner exchange and the transfer of funds for humanitarian needs. However, calls to freeze the funds have emerged in response to Hamas’s attack on Israel. U.S. officials assert that they can deny Iran access to these funds for the time being.
, an independent military force, and allied militias in Sudan raped several dozen women and girls in West Darfur’s capital, El Geneina, and those fleeing to Chad between late April and late June 2023, Human Rights Watch said today. The assailants appear to have targeted people because of their Massalit ethnicity and, in some cases, because they were known activists.){kind=link}