The United States stepped up pressure on Iran on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump threatening more strikes and the Treasury Department imposing new sanctions on organizations it says have “supported the purchase of weapons” on behalf of Tehran, including some in China and Hong Kong.
“We hit them hard yesterday and we’re going to hit them hard again today,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.
“We will see what will happen in the agreement. We are actually close to an agreement but they keep touching us. They keep playing us exploiters.”
Trump’s warning came as the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday said it fired on an oil tanker trying to transport oil from Iran that violated its embargo on Iranian ports.
It followed Tuesday’s attacks on Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz, which CENTCOM said was an act of self-defense after Iran hit the ground running US military helicopter.
Also on Wednesday, the Treasury Department said 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 Iran’s military.
