U.S. extends Russia sanctions, imposes new sanctions on foreign entities tied to Iranian missile program

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on 13 foreign entities and one foreign person in China, Iraq, Russia, and Turkey which support the Iranian missile program in an attempt to weaken Iran and end its role in the region.

The U.S. State Department said that the measure included the imposition of new sanctions on three Chinese companies, one Chinese citizen, and a Turkish company. The State Department also said that the Iranian missile program remains a matter of great concern and the imposition of sanctions on foreign entities assisting in the program is in line with U.S. efforts to use all available measures to prevent Iran from strengthening their missile capabilities.

Russia also won its share of U.S. sanctions, as the sanctions imposed on it since 2014 were extended for another year. The original sanctions were imposed on Russia following its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.

The current sanctions are an extension of those imposed by the Obama Administration in 2014 and the Trump Administration in 2018.

In a letter to Congress, President Trump attributed his decision to the continued threat posed by Russia to U.S. national security.