US sanctions target those providing Iran with defense machinery, Houthi oil trading
WASHINGTON, June 20 (Reuters) - The Trump administration said on Friday it had issued fresh Iran-related sanctions targeting eight entities, one vessel and one person for their alleged role in providing sensitive machinery for Tehran's defense industry.
"The United States remains resolved to disrupt any effort by Iran to procure the sensitive, dual-use technology, components, and machinery that underpin the regime's ballistic missile, unmanned aerial vehicle, and asymmetric weapons programs," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
"Treasury will continue to degrade Iran's ability to produce and proliferate these deadly weapons, which threaten regional stability and global security," he added in a statement announcing the action.
Two of the entities include shipping companies based in Hong Kong: Unico Shipping Co Ltd and Athena Shipping Co Ltd, the statement said.
The Treasury Department on Friday also issued counterterrorism-related sanctions targeting Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis over alleged illicit oil trading and shipping, it said in a separate statement.
Those sanctions target four individuals, 12 entities, and two vessels over imported oil and other illicit goods to support the Houthis, the department said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
30 minutes ago
- Reuters
Putin says no need for OPEC+ to intervene in oil market due to Iran-Israel conflict
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, June 20 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that oil prices had not risen significantly due to the conflict between Iran and Israel, and that there was no need for the OPEC+ group of oil producers to intervene in oil markets. Oil prices have rallied as a week-old air war between Israel and Iran escalated and uncertainty about potential U.S. involvement kept investors on edge, with Brent crude futures touching their highest since late January. Putin said the price of oil now stands at around $75 per barrel, while before the conflict escalated it stood at $65. "Of course, we see that the current situation in the Middle East, the current situation related to the conflict between Iran and Israel, has led to a certain increase in prices. But this increase, in the opinion of our experts, is not significant," Putin told the St Petersburg Economic Forum. Iran is the third largest producer among members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Hostilities could disrupt its supply of oil and thereby increase prices. Putin also said OPEC and allies including Russia - a group known as OPEC+, which pumps about half of the world's oil - were increasing oil output, but doing so gradually, to ensure balance in the oil market and "comfortable" prices. "We will all see together how the situation unfolds. So far no immediate response is required," he said.
The Independent
31 minutes ago
- The Independent
Cubs legend Sammy Sosa returns to Wrigley Field after 20-plus year hiatus
Legendary Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in more than 20 years on Friday before Chicago 's afternoon game with the Seattle Mariners. Sosa, who is set to be inducted into the Cubs' team Hall of Fame this year, arrived at the iconic North Side ballpark in a black SUV. He was greeted by owner Tom Ricketts, who embraced him in a hug as he exited the vehicle. Sosa became the face of the Cubs franchise where he played 13 seasons after coming in a trade from the crosstown White Sox in March 1992. A seven-time All-Star, Sosa hit 545 homers in 1,811 games with the Cubs and hit a franchise-record 66 in 1998 when he was named the NL's MVP. Sosa, now 56, played his final game with the Cubs at Wrigley on Oct. 2, 2004, when he homered and had two hits in an 8-6 loss to Atlanta. During his years with the Cubs, Sosa appeared to bulk up drastically and was a headliner in a generation of baseball's biggest names linked to performance-enhancing drugs. The Cubs traded him to Baltimore with cash in February 2005 for three players. Sosa appeared to acknowledge using performance-enhancing drugs in December when he released a statement saying he was sorry for mistakes, without specifying them. 'There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games,' he said in the statement. 'I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.' On Friday morning, Sosa posed for photos with rising Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong outside the team's clubhouse and a video showed Sosa embracing manager Craig Counsell in his office before the game. The Cubs remained mum, however, on any ceremony or event before or during Friday's game. In Thursday's 8-7 loss to Milwaukee, Crow-Armstrong went deep to set a new team record for reaching 20 homers and 20-plus stolen stolen bases the fastest, doing it in 73 games. Sosa had the old mark of 96, set in 1994. ___
BreakingNews.ie
31 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Former assistant says Sean ‘Diddy' Combs was ‘extremely creative' on drugs
A former college basketball player has claimed that Sean 'Diddy' Combs got 'extremely creative' when he was on drugs. The former player, who worked as a personal assistant, gave evidence at the music mogul's sex trafficking trial on Friday. Advertisement Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks of testimony (Willy Sanjuan/AP) Brendan Paul, 26, was arrested last year at a Miami airport with cocaine he says belonged to Combs, and he gave evidence with immunity about what it was like working for the hip-hop entrepreneur for a year and a half. Mr Paul was arrested in March 2024 — the same day federal agents conducted multiple searches related to the Combs investigation. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks of evidence from an array of witnesses ranging from ex-girlfriends and former employees to male sex workers and the rapper Kid Cudi. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, even made a surprise appearance at the courthouse. Advertisement The prosecution seeks to convince the jury that Combs oversaw a sprawling racketeering enterprise for two decades that relied on obedience by employees willing to do anything for him, including buying drugs when necessary. Defence lawyers say Combs did not commit federal crimes, although they acknowledge that prosecutors have exposed domestic violence during the trial. Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, made a surprise appearance at the courthouse (Michael R Sisak/AP) After pleading not guilty following his September arrest at a Manhattan hotel, Combs has been held without bail at a federal prison in Brooklyn. Prosecutors were expected to rest their case by Monday and the following defence presentation is expected to last from two to five days. Advertisement Mr Paul said he bought drugs for Combs between five and 10 times, spending up to 500 dollars (£370) for drugs including cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy and marijuana. He said he only did drugs with Combs once, when the mogul asked him to try 'tusi', also known as pink cocaine, to see if it was good. Mr Paul said he did so because he 'wanted to prove my loyalty' and said he thought it was good. 'We continued on with our night,' he told assistant US attorney Christy Slavic. Advertisement Sean 'Diddy' Combs (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Mr Paul said that prior to his arrest, he had forgotten about the cocaine after collecting it while 'sweeping' Combs's room that morning and had accidentally left it in a bag he carried as he prepared to go on vacation with Combs and other aides. The charges were dismissed after Mr Paul completed a pre-trial diversion programme. Under questioning by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Mr Paul said his 'heart dropped' when he realised that there was cocaine in a travel bag after telling officers at the airport that everything in the bag belonged to him. Mr Steel asked Mr Paul if Combs was generally happy and didn't hurt anyone when he was on drugs. Advertisement 'He got extremely creative,' Mr Paul responded. A view from the jury box is shown inside a federal courtroom similar to the room where the trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' is being held (Jefferson Siegel /The New York Times via AP, Pool) At another point, Mr Steel asked: 'You would not work for a criminal, would you?' 'Absolutely not,' Mr Paul responded. Ms Slavic, though, elicited Mr Paul's mixed feelings about Combs just before he finished his evidence when the prosecutor asked him: 'Sitting here today, how do you feel about Mr Combs?' 'It's complicated,' he answered.
