US sanctions money laundering network aiding Iran as regime faces nuclear reprimand at IAEA

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned immoderate 35 individuals progressive successful laundering wealth for Iran connected Friday arsenic the medication seeks to marque a woody with Iran implicit its atomic weapons program.

A State Department spokesperson said in a statement that,"This web has laundered billions of dollars done Iranian speech houses and overseas beforehand companies to prolong Tehran’s campaigns of panic that undermine planetary bid and information and enactment the pockets of authorities elites."

Meanwhile, tensions with Iran continue, with the Associated Press reporting that Western powers are considering a solution astatine the IAEA that would formally state Tehran successful non-compliance with its atomic obligations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the determination a "strategic mistake" and accused the U.K., France, and Germany of choosing "malign action" implicit diplomacy. "Mark my words arsenic Europe ponders different large strategical mistake: Iran volition respond powerfully against immoderate usurpation of its rights," helium wrote connected X.

IRAN'S KHAMENEI REJECTS US ZERO URANIUM ENRICHMENT DEMAND AS '100% AGAINST' ITS INTERESTS

A subject motortruck carries a rocket past a representation of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during an yearly subject parade.   (ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)

The draught resolution, expected to beryllium introduced adjacent week, would people the archetypal clip successful 2 decades that Western nations bring specified a question against Iran astatine the IAEA. 

As U.S. and Iranian negotiators prosecute successful fragile talks, voices from wrong Iran uncover a grim paradox: portion galore citizens desperately question alleviation from crushing economical hardship, they fearfulness immoderate woody whitethorn lone tighten the Islamic Republic's grip connected power.

"Right now, radical successful Iran bash not person immoderate anticipation for anything," said a pistillate writer successful Tehran, who spoke anonymously retired of fearfulness for her safety. "The system is collapsing. We sometimes don’t person energy oregon water. The worth of the rial is falling. Life is becoming unlivable."

Like galore Iranians, she believes an statement could temporarily easiness ostentation and halt the country's economical freefall. But she—and galore others—fear the unintended consequences. "If the authorities reaches a deal, it could go much almighty and much assured successful suppressing people. That’s what frightens america the most," she said.

Under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has faced increasing unrest astatine home, triggered by economical pain, governmental repression, and wide mistrust. As negotiations proceed, Iranian citizens are watching closely—but not with optimism.

This photograph taken connected May 15, 2023, shows the logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA astatine the IAEA office successful Vienna, Austria.  (Liu Xinyu/Xinhua via Getty Images)

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"People successful Iran are caught successful a dilemma," said different Tehran resident, a antheral who besides requested anonymity. "On 1 hand, they privation the authorities to fall. On the other, the economical load is truthful dense that immoderate woody offering alleviation feels similar a lifeline. But the information is, adjacent if a woody is signed, mean radical won't benefit. We’ve seen this before."

He pointed to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Obama-era atomic statement that promised economical benefits but, according to galore Iranians, ne'er delivered meaningful alteration for the public. "Only those connected to the authorities gained anything," helium said. "For the remainder of us, beingness stayed the same."

While Iranian leaders assertion the atomic programme is peaceful, the U.S. and allies stay acrophobic astir uranium enrichment levels nearing weapons-grade levels. Trump has demanded a afloat halt to enrichment, portion Khamenei insists connected retaining it. 

"I’m a journalist, and we enactment nether utmost censorship," said the pistillate successful Tehran. "We’re not allowed to notation U.S. oregon Israeli subject capabilities. We can’t people thing astir the talks without approval."

A exemplary of a rocket is carried by Iranian demonstrators arsenic minarets and the dome of a mosque is seen successful the inheritance during an anti-Israeli gathering astatine the Felestin (Palestine) Sq. successful Tehran, Iran, Monday, April 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

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She described a strategy wherever authorities censors dictate what reporters tin and cannot say—down to the vocabulary. "It’s not conscionable the content—it’s the idiosyncratic words. And that makes journalism astir impossible."

In the interviews with Fox News Digital, Iranians expressed heavy skepticism that Khamenei would abide by immoderate agreement. "He lies," the writer said bluntly. "What helium says publically is never what helium really does. He manipulates some the nationalist and overseas governments. No 1 should spot a dictator similar him."

The antheral echoed the sentiment. "The regime's endurance depends connected its hostility toward the U.S. and Israel. If it genuinely committed to a deal, it would undermine its ain ideological foundation. That’s wherefore nary 1 believes it tin last."

Recent months person seen a resurgence of protestation enactment successful Iran, including a increasing nationwide onslaught by motortruck drivers demanding just wages and little substance prices. Though mostly ignored by planetary media, these strikes travel years of wide protests—most notably the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising sparked by the decease of Mahsa Amini successful morality constabulary custody. 

That movement, on with economical demonstrations successful 2019 and 2021, was met with convulsive crackdowns, wide arrests, and net blackouts. The signifier has near Iranians wary that immoderate motion of instability is met with brutal suppression.

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An Iranian pupil pointed to the truckers’ strikes presently roiling parts of Iran arsenic a motion of grassroots unrest. "These strikes are a nonstop connection from the people," helium said. "They’ve been mostly ignored by the media, but they are almighty and legitimate. This is however alteration begins—if it’s allowed to."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.