US sanctions Iran's missile program

The United States yesterday announced new sanctions linked to Iran's ballistic missile program, just a day after sanctions targeting its nuclear program were lifted.

In remarks shortly before the US announcement, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said that any new American sanctions would be "met by an appropriate response."

The US Treasury Department said in a statement that it had added five Iranian nationals and a network of companies based in the United Arab Emirates and China to an American blacklist, reports AFP.

It said the network had "obfuscated the end user of sensitive goods for missile proliferation by using front companies in third countries to deceive foreign suppliers" and that the five individuals had "worked to procure ballistic missile components for Iran."

The Americans imprisoned by Iran began their journey home yesterday, their friends and family awaiting emotional reunions, reports AP. US officials said Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former US Marine Amir Hekmati, and pastor Saeed Abedini were on the flight, but not Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari. But Iran said he had taken off, too. The discrepancy could not immediately be reconciled.