US announces new sanctions targeting Iranian individuals, entities and vessels

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — The US Treasury Department announced a new package of sanctions targeting Iranian-linked individuals, entities and vessels. Alongside the measures, the department issued a general license authorizing certain transactions for security and environmental protection purposes, as well as the offloading of sanctioned cargo. The new package is part of a broader US effort to increase economic pressure on Iran, running in parallel with military and diplomatic developments in the region. US President Donald Trump said his administration is working to add Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah to the legislation governing sanctions on Russia, a step he said could widen the economic and diplomatic pressure on Tehran and its allies. Speaking at the White House with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zeydi, Trump argued that the regional balance of power in the Middle East is shifting, with countries in the area moving away from Iranian influence. No further details on the timeline or scope of the new sanctions were immediately available.