WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Following President Donald Trump's decision last week to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Tuesday the U.S. is imposing sanctions on the head of the Islamic republic's central bank.
The Treasury accused Iranian Central Bank Governor Valiollah Seif of conspiring to move millions of dollars on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force to the militant group Hizballah.
'It is appalling, but not surprising, that Iran's senior-most banking official would conspire with the IRGC-QF to facilitate funding of terror groups like Hizballah,' Mnuchin said.
He added, 'It undermines any credibility he could claim in protecting the integrity of the institution as a central bank governor.'
The Treasury also imposed sanctions on another senior central bank official, an Iraq-based bank and its chairman, and a key Hizballah official.
Seif and the others were also designated as 'Specially Designated Global Terrorists' under an executive order that targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
The move by the Treasury comes after Trump announced last Tuesday that the U.S. will withdraw from an international agreement intended to limit Iran's nuclear program.
Trump harshly criticized the nuclear agreement in remarks from the White House and signed a memorandum re-imposing sanctions on Iran.
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