Iran has imposed sanctions on at least 51 Americans for human rights violations and “terrorism.” The sanctions, mostly against current and former US military personnel, were levied over the US assassination in 2020 of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
The sanctions were announced by Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday as talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and the world powers continued in Vienna. Iran has said that it will not slow its nuclear program until the United States lifts its heavy economic sanctions on the country. They also come on the second anniversary of the Soleimani assassination, which was marked with a week of remembrance events that ended on Friday with an exhibition of Iran’s missile capabilities.
Iran’s list of sanctioned Americans already included former US President Mike Pompeo and former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Among those added to the list over the weekend were US General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and former White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien.