The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on several Iranian and Turkish companies and a number of aircraft in a move targeting four Iranian airlines. It also said it was targeting a number of their aircraft, as well as aircraft from Caspian Airlines and Pouya Air. The United States said the airlines had ferried weapons, fighters and money to proxies in Syria and Lebanon. The sanctions were the latest in the United States' efforts to economically strangle Iran with the hopes of blocking the country's efforts to develop nuclear weapons. On Tuesday, the United States imposed sanctions on five Iranians it said had provided Yemen's Houthi movement with weaponry and expertise to launch missiles at cities and oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.

Source: dna May 24, 2018 17:15 UTC