Iran has issued a stern warning to US allies, especially oil-rich nations, of dire consequences if their airspace would be utilised against Tehran. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the threats have stirred the Arab states to divulge to the Joe Biden administration that they won't aid any attack on Iran.
The fresh warning from Iran came after Israel threatened Tehran with brutal revenge after Iran fired ballistic missiles. According to the WSJ, Arab officials have reported that Iran has issued threats through diplomatic channels to several countries, including Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, all of which host US troops. These nations have informed the Biden administration that they do not want their military infrastructure or airspace utilised by the US or Israel for any offensive actions against Iran, the officials stated.
US imposes sanctions on Iran's 'ghost fleet' of oil tankers
The report came on the same day when the United States expanded sanctions against Iran's petroleum and petrochemical sectors on Friday in response to an Iranian missile attack on Israel, the administration of President Joe Biden said. The US move adds petroleum and petrochemicals to an executive order that targets key sectors of Iran's economy with the aim of denying the government funds to support its nuclear and missile programs. "The new designations today also include measures against the 'Ghost Fleet' that carries Iran’s illicit oil to buyers around the world," Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said in a statement.
"These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources used to support its missile programs and provide support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States, its allies, and partners."
Israel is vowing to respond to Iran's October 1 missile attack, launched in retaliation for Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Gaza and the killing of a Hamas leader in Iran. The US Treasury can now "impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in the petroleum and petrochemical sectors of the Iranian economy," it said in a statement.
Biden has said Israel should seek alternatives to attacking Iran's oil fields. Gulf states are lobbying Washington to stop Israel from attacking oil sites because they are concerned their own facilities could come under fire from Tehran's proxies if the conflict escalates, three Gulf sources told Reuters.
The Treasury Department also said it was designating 16 entities and identifying 17 vessels as blocked property, citing their involvement in shipments of petroleum and petrochemical products in support of the National Iranian Oil Company. Concurrently, the State Department took steps to disrupt the money flow into Iran's weapons programs and support for "terrorist proxies and partners." It imposed sanctions on six entities involved in Tehran's petroleum trade and identified six ships as blocked property.
(With inputs from agency)
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