U.S. Tightens Iran Sanctions After Tehran Threatens to Abandon Nuclear Curbs by Aresu Eqbali, Sune Engel Rasmussen and Laurence Norman – Wall Street Journal
The White House expanded its pressure campaign against Iran by imposing sanctions for the first time against its industrial-metals sector, hitting one of the largest nonpetroleum segments of Iran’s economy just hours after Tehran warned it may restart parts of its nuclear program.
The Trump administration’s move on Wednesday came on the anniversary of its decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear accord and followed Tehran’s announcement that it would abandon limits on stockpiling nuclear materials in an effort to pressure European countries to aid its economy as tensions soar with the U.S.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country would abandon limits on stockpiling low-enriched uranium and heavy water, two materials that can be used in the making of atomic weapons…