ANDunited states and the European Union (EU) announced this Tuesday that they are making the necessary preparations to expand sanctions on Iran for the attack against Israel.
The new sanctions could arrive “in the coming days,” according to US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during a press conference.
Yellen announced that she will take advantage of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), which are being held this week in Washington, to coordinate positions with her allies and expand the sanctions regime that already weighs on Tehran.
Restrictions on Iranian oil
The head of the Treasury did not offer details about what sanctions the United States and its allies will impose; but, asked by the press, mentioned the possibility of increasing controls to prevent Tehran from bypassing US sanctions that already weigh on its oil sector.
“Iran continues to export some oil. It is possible that something more can be done. I don't want to say anything about the sanctions we could impose but, without a doubt, that is one of the areas we could address,” he simply said.
In 2018, under the Government of Donald Trump (2017-2021), The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil sector and, since then, the Joe Biden Administration has tried to enforce those restrictions by imposing sanctions on companies from different countries that help Tehran sell oil.
Despite these efforts, Iran continues to be able to evade US sanctions to export oil, with China being one of its main customers.
EU targets Iran's drones and missiles
Meanwhile, in Brussels, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, announced the formal start of preparations for the Twenty-Seven club to impose sanctions against Iran.
“I will send the request to the European External Action Service to begin the necessary work related to the sanctions,” Borrell assured in an appearance before the press after an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers held by videoconference.
On Sunday, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had already announced that The EU was considering imposing new sanctions against Iran to contain its drone and missile programs, precisely the devices he used in his attack against Israel.
Another option that some G7 countries are considering is the designation of the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group, as US officials announced on Sunday.
These efforts to promote new sanctions against Iran come as several Western countries have urged Israel to show restraint and avoid a strong military response to Iran's attack over the weekend, at the risk of triggering a full-scale war in the Middle East.
Help Israel
At the same time, Biden is moving closer with House Speaker Mike Johnson, the top Republican in Washington, to approve more aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane Air Force One, one of the White House spokespersons, John Kirby, noted that Biden would be open to the possibility of supporting a plan proposed by Johnson for aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan to be voted on in different bills, instead of all together in a legislative package.
With this plan, Johnson seeks to overcome the opposition of the hardest wing of the Republicans in the Lower House who have been blocking aid to Ukraine for months, despite the fact that it was already approved by the Senate in February with broad support from both parties. .
The reality is that Iran's attack on Israel, the first that Tehran launched directly on Israeli territory, has put Johnson in its sights, who needs to at least advance aid to Israel, the United States' main ally in the Middle East and which enjoys great support in the Republican Party.
At the heart of this fight within Congress are the November presidential elections, in which Biden and Trump will face each other again, who on previous occasions has opposed sending aid to Ukraine and a few days ago proposed that it be done in the form of loans. .
EFE
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