White House Adds to Iran Sanctions Blacklist

The Obama administration added 17 foreign companies and individuals to a federal blacklist Thursday for allegedly helping Iran evade economic sanctions, a move intended both to maintain pressure on Tehran during upcoming nuclear negotiations and to persuade skeptics in Congress that no more sanctions are needed.

The State and Treasury departments announced the joint action shortly before Wendy Sherman, the chief U.S. diplomat at nuclear talks with Iran, appeared on Capitol Hill and vowed to “vigorously enforce” existing sanctions. Additional penalties, she warned bluntly, “would derail” talks aimed at forging a long-term deal to restrict Tehran's nuclear activities.

The double-barreled approach, a day after Secretary of State John F. Kerry briefed members of the Senate behind closed doors, capped a weeklong campaign by the administration to win public support for a multi-stage deal with Iran. The White House is trying to counter hawkish lawmakers and lobbying groups who claim that the White House has eased sanctions enforcement, and who argue that even harsher penalties against Iran are necessary to force it to abandon its nuclear program.

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There was no immediate reaction from Iran. The administration is “walking a fine line here, but this won't be perceived to be so provocative that Rouhani will walk away from the talks,” said Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, an advocacy group that favors tougher sanctions.

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