The ongoing tension between America and Iran has once again reached a dangerous point. On Friday, America took a major economic step against Iran and imposed strict sanctions on 14 people and institutions. The US administration directly alleges that these people and companies were working behind the scenes to send money to Iran’s top leaders and dodge international financial rules. This action has created a stir at the global level.
According to the US Treasury Department, the main center of this action is Ali Ansari. This Iranian banker and businessman living in Dubai was on America’s radar for a long time. The US claims that Ansari has provided economic strength to Iran’s influential leaders and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by investing government money in real estate and business overseas. It is alleged that they have made illegal transactions worth billions of dollars by creating a network of shell companies and bank accounts spread across the world, so that the sanctions imposed on Iran can be neutralized.
These restrictions have been imposed at a time when the Gulf region is again sitting on a powder keg. America and Iran have come face to face after the attack on three oil tankers of Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the Strait of Hormuz last week. In response, America targeted some Iranian targets, while Iran also attacked American military bases. Although the situation is somewhat calm now, the tension between the two countries can turn into a major war at any time, which has deepened the crisis over oil supply and security around the world.
The US State Department and the Treasury Secretary have made it clear that they will adopt all possible legal and economic means to break the economic back of Iran’s ruling class. US President Donald Trump has declared the ongoing ceasefire with Iran over, although he has said that the doors to negotiations are not yet completely closed. On the other hand, Iran has also made it clear that it is not going to bow down to any American pressure and will retaliate with full force on the violation of the agreement. Now the eyes of the whole world are on whether this economic ‘strike’ will open the way for talks or both the countries will move towards another war.
