The Trump administration has officially designated Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif for direct sanctioning by the United States.
“Javad Zarif implements the reckless agenda of Iran’s Supreme Leader, and is the regime’s primary spokesperson around the world. The United States is sending a clear message to the Iranian regime that its recent behavior is completely unacceptable,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin released in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “At the same time the Iranian regime denies Iranian citizens’ access to social media, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif spreads the regime’s propaganda and disinformation around the world through these mediums.”
Outside of diplomatic immunity at the United Nations in New York City, Zarif will no longer be allowed to travel throughout the United States. Further, any property or other entities he may own in the U.S. faces sanctioning.
"For far too long he has been indulged as the reasonable and credible official representative of Iran and today President Trump decided enough is enough. We will continue to build on our maximum pressure campaign until Iran abandons its wreckless foreign policy that threatens the United States and our allies," another White House official told reporters ahead of the announcement.
Here are the details from the Treasury Department:
All property and interests in property of this individual that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.
In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the individual designated today may themselves be exposed to designation. Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates a significant transaction for or on behalf of the individual designated today could be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through sanctions.
In the past three months, Iran has taken a number of ships hostage in the Strait of Hormuz, launched a mortar at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq and shot down a $140 million Navy drone flying in international waters. White House officials stress there are limits to U.S. patience when a regime repeatedly attacks diplomatic facilities, plots to bomb innocent people and fuel proxy groups in the Middle East.
Recently, President @realDonaldTrump sanctioned Iran’s Supreme Leader, who enriched himself at the expense of the Iranian people. Today, the U.S. designated his chief apologist @JZarif. He’s just as complicit in the regime’s outlaw behavior as the rest of @khamenei_ir’s mafia. pic.twitter.com/XhDdqR6rik
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 31, 2019
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has offered to come to Iran to speak to the people. His request was denied by the regime.
We aren’t afraid of @JZarif coming to America where he enjoys the right to speak freely. Are the facts of the @khamenei_ir regime so bad he cannot let me do the same thing in Tehran? What if his people heard the truth, unfiltered, unabridged?
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 28, 2019