New Delhi, Delhi, India
The United States on Friday announced fresh sanctions against Iran and its officials in retaliation to the attack on its military bases housing US troops in Iraq.
The targets of the sanctions include, Iran's manufacturing, mining and textile sectors, as well as several senior Iranian officials who Washington said, were involved in the Wednesday's strikes.
"As a result of these actions, we will cut off billions of dollars of support to the Iranian regime," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters at a White House briefing while standing beside the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Mnuchin also said that the measures hitting Iran's economy "will continue until the regime stops the funding of global terrorism and commits to never having nuclear weapons."
Among the targeted senior Iranian officials, are Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, the Iranian armed forces deputy chief of staff and Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij militia, a volunteer force loyal to the regime.
The US said that these officials are working towards the disability of the region.
The US Treasury also slapped sanction on 17 Iranian metals producers and mining companies which it said generated billions of dollars in revenue.
The sanctions also included a network of three entities that are based in China and Seychelles as well as a vessel "involved in the purchase, sale, and transfer of Iranian metals products," the Treasury said in a statement.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran saw a dramatic escalation last week after the US killed Iran's top military commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone attack on its Baghdad International Airport.
Soon after the attack, Iran vowed to take "severe revenge". On Wednesday Iran fired ballistic missiles on US airbases in Iraq targeting Al-Asad and Irbil.
Although the two sides seem to have stepped back from the brink of armed conflict, Trump vowed on Wednesday to impose the additional sanctions.
(With inputs from agencies)