On Tuesday, the United States imposed terrorism-related sanctions on five individuals linked to Iran, designating each as specially designated global terrorists.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that Al-Qaeda works to protect the Iranian regime and added that they have observed connections between Iran and Al-Qaeda, as well as Iranian support for its leaders. He emphasized that Iran has hosted several Al-Qaeda leaders on its territory. Pompeo noted that Iranian support for Al-Qaeda has led to the deaths of numerous Americans, and planners of the September 11 attacks found safe haven in Iran. He mentioned that the killing of the second-in-command of Al-Qaeda in Iran is not surprising.
Reuters reported on Monday that Pompeo intends to use recently declassified U.S. intelligence to publicly accuse Iran of establishing ties with Al-Qaeda in a speech delivered on Tuesday, according to two individuals familiar with the matter. This comes as part of Pompeo's last-minute assault on Tehran before handing over power to the incoming administration of President Joe Biden. Pompeo had announced sanctions on two Al-Qaeda leaders based in Iran and three leaders of the Kurdish organization, noting that Al-Qaeda established a command center in Tehran, where Al-Zawahiri's deputies are currently located.
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called these allegations "fantastical." The United States had imposed sanctions on Iran last month following the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran's top nuclear scientist. The U.S. Treasury Department blacklisted an organization and an individual, accusing this group of involvement in Iranian chemical weapons research and ties to the Iranian Organization for Innovation and Defense Research, which is also listed on the U.S. blacklist. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stated that "Iran's development of weapons of mass destruction poses a threat to the security of its neighbors and global security," and added that "the United States will continue to confront any efforts by the Iranian regime to develop chemical weapons that could be used by the regime or its proxy groups to carry out their nefarious agenda."
Elliot Abrams, the U.S. envoy on Iran, stated last week that the Trump administration could continue to tighten sanctions on Iran during its final months in office, with expected sanctions related to weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and human rights during December and January.
