Iran, in retaliation against the United States, has sanctioned nine companies with US ties. The move was in response to sanctions on the Middle East country’s ballistic missile program. Iran’s Hassan Rouhani, the newly re-elected President, said he was hoping to sit down and have a dialogue about US pre-requisites. Iran also added nine more US-based businesses to its long list of individuals and organizations.
Iran responds with its own sanctions
According to the Associated Press, the list created last March highlights companies already sanctioned as of May 18.
The list was uploaded online this past Saturday. Analyst watching the development stated that with the sanctions of these companies by the Iranian government, they could seize their local assets. Additionally, the sanctioning country can also prohibit these organizations' employees from entering the country.
In March, Iranian government officials announced the first set of sanctions in retaliation for actions taken by the current White House administration. US President Trump sanctioned over two dozen Iranian companies as well as its citizens after Iran carried out a ballistic missile test in February.
On Wednesday, Donald Trump reiterated that he had renewed the sanctions because of a nuclear deal that was recently done by the Iranians.
Additionally, the US government imposed new sanctions on two Iranian defense officials as well as a company with alleged links to Iran's missile program.
Iranians vote for economic and social change
Recently, the country's citizens went to the polls and re-elected President Hassan Rouhani. After winning the election with one of the highest turnouts in the nation's history, he vowed to continue his progressive reforms.
Several analysts stated that the heavy voter turnout indicates that the citizens welcome a different vision for their country.
They have given the President a new mandate to boost the country's engagement with the rest of the world. Accordingly, voter sentiments were strongly against diplomatic isolation. This, they said, had stifled the country's economic growth over the past decades.
Voters from the Persian Gulf and along the Caspian Sea came out in large numbers to cast their vote. The international outreach nuclear pact was a key issue on voters' minds. This highlights the nation's openness to political and social change. According to analysts, Iranian citizens refocused their attention in favor of reforms that would end the nation’s economic stagnation.
