Fresh Sanctions on Iran from United States

The United States slapped new sanctions on Iranian officials and entities after its effort to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran over the weekend was largely rejected, CNN reported.

Some of those sanctions -- including against the Iranian Ministry of Defence and embattled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro -- were taken under a new executive order issued, which is aimed at deterring conventional arms transfers to Iran.

"My actions today send a clear message to the Iranian regime and those in the international community who refuse to stand up to Iran," President Donald Trump said in a statement.

He added, "My administration will use every tool at our disposal to stop Iran's nuclear, ballistic missile, and conventional weapons pursuits."

"The UN arms embargo on Iran is now reimposed indefinitely, and we will ensure that it remains in place until Iran changes its behaviour," US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in a statement.

"The new executive order gives us the tools to hold accountable actors who seek to evade the embargo," he added.

The new executive order was issued just days after the US said it unilaterally reimposed UN sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the Iran nuclear deal, according to CNN.

However, the efforts of the US were rejected by other members of the UN Security Council, who said that Washington does not have the legal authority to impose snapback sanctions as it had pulled out from the agreement.

Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said the "executive order will further disrupt Iranian efforts to import and proliferate conventional weapons, helping protect US forces, our allies and partners, and civilian populations, until Iran complies with international norms."