US blacklists Iran's ambassador to Yemen
The United States imposed terrorism sanctions on Iran's ambassador to Yemen, claiming Hasan Irlu's recent dispatch to Yemen as a signal Tehran plans to make it harder to resolve the five-year war in the country.
The US Treasury described the Iranian diplomat as a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a central element in Tehran's efforts to project its power in Yemen, Syria, and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Irlu was targeted under US Executive Order 13224, which allows Washington to block the assets of foreign individuals and entities that commit, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism.
The decision to target Irlu appears in part a signal to the Houthis, who have been battling a Saudi-led military offensive against Yemen since March 2015.
Saudi Arabia, with the support of the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and several other countries, has launched the offensive and imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on the country.
The warmongering by Saudi Arabia and its allies in Yemen has so far killed more than 16,000 Yemenis, injured tens of thousands, and displaced millions of people.
"Iran's support for the Houthis fuels the conflict in Yemen and exacerbates the country's instability," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
As a result of Tuesday's action, all property of those designated, as well as any entities that are 50 percent or more owned by them, that fall under US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.
In addition, foreign banks that knowingly facilitate significant transactions for them, or people who provide material support to them, risk losing access to the US financial system or having their own property blocked.
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