United States and the European Union (EU) announced this Tuesday, April 16, that they are making the necessary preparations to expand sanctions on Iran for the attack against Israel.
The new sanctions could arrive “in the coming days,” according to the secretary of the United States Treasury, Janet Yellen.
Yellen announced that she will take advantage of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), which are being held this week in Washington, to coordinate positions with her allies and expand the sanctions regime that It already weighs on Tehran.
The US could avenge Israel through Iranian oil
The head of the Treasury did not offer details about what sanctions the United States will impose and his allies; But when asked by the press, she mentioned the possibility of increasing controls to prevent Tehran skip the US sanctions that already weigh on its oil sector.
“Iran continues to export some oil. It’s possible that something else can be done. “I don’t want to say anything about the sanctions we could impose, but, without a doubt, that is one of the areas we could address,” he simply said.
In 2018, under the Government of Donald Trump (2017-2021), The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran’s oil sector, and the Joe Biden Administration has since attempted to enforce those restrictions by imposing sanctions on companies in different countries that help Tehran sell oil.
Despite these efforts, Iran continues to be able to evade US sanctions to export oil, with China being one of its main customers.
The US prepares a new shipment of military aid to Israel
Biden is bringing closer positions with the president of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, the top Republican in Washington, to approve more aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane Air Force One, one of the White House spokespersons, John Kirby, indicated that Biden would be open to the possibility of supporting a plan proposed by Johnson for the help IsraelUkraine and Taiwan will vote on different bills, rather than all together in one legislative package.
With this plan, Johnson seeks to overcome the opposition of the hardest wing of the Republicans in the Lower House who have been blocking for some time. months aid to Ukraine, despite the fact that it was already approved by the Senate in February with broad support from both parties.
The reality is that Iran’s attack against Israel, the first that Tehran launched directly on Israeli territory, has put Johnson in the spotlight, who needs to carry out at least aid to Israel, the main ally of the United States. in the Middle East and that enjoys great support in the Republican Party.
At the heart of this fight within Congress are the November presidential elections, in which Biden and Trump will face each other againwho on previous occasions has opposed sending aid to Ukraine and a few days ago proposed that it be done in the form of loans.
