Iran Holds Military Drill, Breaches Nuclear Deal Amid More US Sanctions

The United States on Wednesday imposed yet another set of sanctions on Iranian companies, on the same day that the Islamic Republic conducted short-range missile tests and announced recent advancements in its nuclear program. The US Treasury Department blacklisted foundations belonging to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which the US says enabled Tehran’s “corrupt leaders” to exploit the country’s economy. It is the latest in a string of sanctions levied against Iran as part of the outgoing White House’s “maximum pressure” policy. Several hours later, the United Nations released a statement detailing Tehran’s latest breach of the 2015 nuclear deal, which includes the development and planned production of uranium metal, a material used in nuclear weapons’ cores. In recent weeks, Iran has begun enriching uranium up to 20% purity levels, well above the 3.67% allowed in the 2015 pact. Also on Wednesday, Iran’s military launched a two-day naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman, which includes missile drills and warship maneuvers.