WASHINGTON — The United States on Monday slapped a slew of new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear weapons program in a move likely to ratchet up already high tensions with Iran. The US also called on the European Union to follow suit.

The Trump administration named 27 individuals and entities, including officials at the Iranian ministry of defense, nuclear scientists, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and anyone found trading in conventional weapons with Iran.

Announcing the sanctions, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said: “The Trump Administration remains fully committed to its maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian regime to prevent the production of a nuclear weapon and other malign activities.”

“The Treasury Department will not hesitate to target anyone who trades conventional arms with Iran, provides support to its nuclear program, or facilitates its development of ballistic missiles,” Mnuchin added.

Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted, saying. “Rather than waiting for Iran to threaten the world, the US is taking sweeping actions to prevent the world’s top state sponsor of terror from obtaining a nuclear weapon. This includes sanctions on 25 entities and individuals. We are keeping Americans and world citizens safe!"

Pompeo also said that the United Kingdom, France, and Germany would be required not just to comply with the sanctions, but to enforce them.

But the UN has asserted that the decision is not up to Washington, and the European powers have warned that the US does not have the legal power to do so. — Agencies