New US sanctions are now introduced in Iran

Ima Abassi works in a shop in the center of Tehran. Since US President Donald Trump decided that the United States would leave the agreement on Iran and reintroduce sanctions against Iran, several of his friends have lost their jobs, she said.

She does not hesitate when I ask her if the sanctions have affected her daily life.

– Food prices have doubled in less than a year. We eat cheaper food and sometimes some items end up in stores. Life has become much more difficult, she says.

Penalties for oil

Last year, the Iranian currency lost 70% of its value. The sanctions that apply today are directed against the Iranian oil industry, which is the main export income of the country, and against the banking system.

The Iranian currency has reached historically low levels as a result of Trump's decision on sanctions and lost 70% of its value last year.

– Everyone feels stress. We buy food products with the fear of inflation, which is why it is better to buy a lot of a product today than to buy it at a higher price tomorrow said Ima.

The purpose of US sanctions is to put pressure on the Iranian regime.

The agreement that Iran would restrict its core business in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions had been signed by former President Barack Obama.

The agreement with Iran has given hope to Iran

Donald Trump now wants to push Iran to negotiate a new deal going further.

But the other signatories of the nuclear energy agreement, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, said Iran was following the announcement. agreed agreement and that it should be firm.

Ima is 24 years old. She says that many young Iranians and herself felt hope when signing the agreement in 2015.

"We thought that many international companies would come here to create new jobs." It has become a little better, but not as much as many hoped, she said.

Criminal measures will come into force

After the United States left the deal with Iran in May, a series of US sanctions against Iran was reintroduced on August 6 this year. For example, Iran can not use US dollars. The sanctions also affected the country 's silver and gold sectors, as well as its trade in metals, coal and industrial computer systems.

Today, the latest wave of punitive measures comes into force, targeting the country's transport sector, banks and oil sector, accounting for 60% of the country's export earnings.

According to the United States, the goal is to stop the Iranian oil trade in the global market. In order to prevent rising oil prices, the United States agreed that a number of countries, including Japan, India and South Korea, would continue to buy Iranian oil even after the imposition of sanctions today – but short-term exemptions apply.