Tabnak - After the US Senate imposed a new round of sanctions against a number of people and companies with the pretext of missiles and human rights concerns, Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs took a reciprocal step, imposing sanctions against 15 American firms involving in terrorism and supporting Israeli crimes.
A Foreign Ministry statement published earlier today said the companies are barred from any agreements with Iranian firms and that former and current directors will not be eligible for visas.
The companies include Bent Tal, United Technologies Products. ITT Corporation, Raytheon, Re/Max Real Estate, Magnum Research Inc., Oshkosh Corporation, Kahr Arms and Elbit Systems.
The Foreign Ministry declared that the companies had "flagrantly violated human rights" and cooperated with Israel against the Palestinians.
"The new measures of the American government, in imposing unilateral sanctions beyond its borders against individuals and entities from Iran and other countries based on fabricated and unjustified claims, are unfit to the international laws and regulations and betray the letter and general spirit of the JCPOA,” the statement says.
The statement continues with condemning the acts of Americans and reiterates that Iran will never compromise over its defense programs and capabilities as a measure to conserve its legitimate right of self-defense in face of any foreign aggression and enhancement of its deterrence power against threats.
The statement further emphasizes Iran’s resolve to develop its peaceful missile power as part of the nation’s "inalienable” right to enhance its deterrence and defense might in the face of threats.
It is the second time during Donald Trump administration that Iran takes a reciprocal step in face of an anti-Iranian move by the US. Frist time, after Donald Trump announced its decree banning the Muslims from six countries from entering the US, Iran declared a reciprocal measure.
The fact that Iran for the second time announces a reciprocal measure against the US could involve two messages for Washington as well as Tel-Aviv. The first message is that the diplomatic openings during the last few years have caused Iran to become an active diplomatic player, able to use its measures for reciprocal actions against any hostile state.
The second message is that the Iranian Foreign Ministry has directly named the firms cooperating or associating with the Israeli military and security industries. Before reaching a deal on the nuclear issue and when the UN sanctions against Iran were still in place, the US treasury secretary had provided a database of the firms, institutions and people related to Iran, which meant a kind of intelligence dominance over Iran’s international activities.
Now, by naming the companies directly or indirectly cooperating with the Israeli Regime, Iran declares clearly that it has a same intelligence dominance over Israel’s military and security activities and probably knows its future plans in these fields.
Therefore, although at the current situation Iran’s reciprocal measure could be regarded as just a symbolic act, its hidden messages and diplomatic codes would send an effective signal for those who are targeted by such measures.
