JERUSALEM, Israel – France, the U.K., and Germany began a process on Thursday to reimpose “snapback” sanctions on Iran because of its nuclear violations. The sanctions take aim at an already struggling Iranian economy.
The three countries accuse Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal. The move starts 30 days of negotiations before the sanctions begin. Iran could face penalties affecting banking, travel, arms sales, and Tehran’s ballistic missile program.
The regime said it’s ready to resume “fair” negotiations, but also threatened to retaliate.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated, “We have told them if this happens, the pathway we have opened with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) will be completely affected and will likely be stopped.”
The announcement dropped Iran’s currency, the rial, to a near record low.
Tehran resident Arman Vasheghani Farahani commented, “The rising dollar rate is having a serious impact on our lives as young people. Given the current state of the job market and overall livelihoods, our hopes have taken a hit.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed the move and urged Iran to resolve the issue.
In Yemen, media reports indicate that an Israeli strike on Thursday killed the Houthis’ prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi. An airstrike reportedly targeted at least ten senior Houthi ministers.
The action followed weeks of ballistic missile attacks by the Houthis against Israel that sent millions of Israelis to bomb shelters.
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the World Food Programme, Cindy McCain, concerning food distribution in Gaza.
There was an honest exchange between the World Food Programme and COGAT and the IDF about what we can do together to improve delivery of food that goes to the Palestinian people, not to Hamas,” Graham said. “As to the idea that Israel has tried to starve the people in Gaza as a tool of war, I firmly and completely reject that.”
The Israel Defense Forces announced the construction of more aid distribution centers.
IDF Spokesman Nadav Shoshani explained, “This is just a part of the humanitarian effort the IDF and Israel are doing in the Gaza Strip – air drops, trucks going into different parts of Gaza, and distribution centers. We have said multiple times, there is no limit to the amount of aid that can go into Gaza.”
