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Iran sanctions 15 US companies

Iran is countering US sanctions by punishing US companies. 

Iran on Sunday announced it is leveling sanctions against 15 American companies in response to the US leveling of sanctions against Iranian companies.

The Foreign Ministry announced in a statement the Islamic Republic of Iran has imposed sanctions on American companies “involved in propping up the Zionist regime [i.e. Israel], terrorists and suppressing civilians in the region,” IRNA news reported.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns the recent measure taken by the United States administration to impose one-sided extraterritorial sanctions against Iranian and non-Iranian individuals and institutions,” the Foreign Ministry said in its statement.

Iran alleged the new US sanctions are based on “fabricated and illegitimate pretexts and amount to an action against the international regulations,” as well as “the word and spirit” of the Iran nuclear deal.

“Hereby, the Islamic Republic repeats and insists that strengthening and enhancement of the country’s defense capabilities, including boosting Iran’s missile defense power, remains to be certain and inevitable in a bid to safeguard the country’s right to defend itself against any foreign aggression and build up its deterrence power against threats.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran accepts no restrictions imposed against its efforts to protect its dignity, territorial integrity and security of the people,” the statement concluded.

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These sanctions by Tehran are an apparent response to sanctions leveled by Washington on Friday on 30 foreign companies and people from 10 countries for engaging in proliferation activity.

Eleven entities and individuals were sanctioned for transfers of sensitive items to Iran’s ballistic missile program.

The government also implemented sanctions on 19 companies or people found to have “transferred to, or acquired from, Iran, North Korea, or Syria goods, services, or technology listed on multilateral export control lists, or on US national control lists, or other items that could make a material contribution to the development of weapons of mass destruction or missile proliferation,” the State Department stated.

As consequence of the sanctions, no US department or agency can procure or contract for any goods, services, or technology from the designated entities. New licenses will be denied and these companies are ineligible for any US assistance.

By: World Israel News Staff
AP contributed to this report.