The United States intensified pressure on Iran on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump threatening more strikes and the Treasury Department imposing new sanctions on entities it says “supported arms purchases” on Tehran’s behalf, including some in China and Hong Kong.
“We hit them hard yesterday and we’ll hit them hard again today,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.
“We’ll see what happens with the deal. We’re already close to a deal but they keep taking advantage of us. They keep playing us for fools.”
Trump’s warning came as US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Wednesday that it had fired on an oil tanker that was trying to transport oil from Iran, violating its blockade of Iranian ports.
The Treasury Department also said Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on individuals and entities, including nine based in China and Hong Kong, for supporting arms purchases by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian military.
