The United States Department of the Treasury has imposed new sanctions on five Iranian organizations and one individual amid ongoing discussions about a direct meeting regarding Iran’s nuclear program. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that all sanctioned parties are directly involved in Iran’s nuclear project.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Secretary Bessent said, “The Iranian government’s reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons poses a threat not only to the United States but also to regional and global security. The U.S. will continue its efforts to prevent Iran from disrupting global stability by advancing its nuclear ambitions.”
While the names of the sanctioned companies and individual were not specified in the statement, a Treasury source revealed that two of the five companies were already blacklisted by the U.S. These include the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and The Iran Centrifuge Company (TESA)—both key players in managing Iran’s nuclear activities.
Reuters reached out to Iran’s United Nations mission officials for comments following the announcement, but no one was willing to respond.
Earlier this week, in a surprising statement, former President Donald Trump announced that direct talks with Tehran on Iran’s nuclear program would begin. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi clarified that the discussions would be held indirectly, with Oman acting as a mediator.
On Tuesday, Trump warned that if the talks fail, Iran could face significant consequences in the near future.