Missile ballistic missile test row: US enacts sanctions on Iran

After putting Tehran "on notice" earlier this week in the wake of the ballistic missile tested by it, US President Donald Trump's administration on Friday enacted new sanctions on Iran.

The Treasury Department said that it was imposing the sanctions on 25 individuals and companies connected to the missile program and those who were providing support to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Qods Force, reports CNN.

This list also included three separate networks linked to support the missile program, which was opposed by the US.

The tensions between the two countries have been on the boil since the election of Trump.

The disturbing developments come after Trump last week announced a temporary travel ban on Iran and six other Muslim-majority nations, barring visitors from entering the United States.

On Wednesday, US National Security Advisor Michael Flynn said Sunday's test was a "provocative" breach of a UN Security Council resolution, following which Trump tweeted Thursday saying, "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE" and should have been "thankful" for the "terrible deal."

A senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the "extremism" of President Trump, who declared Iran was "on notice".

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Thursday, the top official, Ali Akbar Velayati, dismissed the US President's "baseless ranting" and said that even Americans were not satisfied with "Trump's extremism," according to Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency.

Asserting that all test-fired missiles were defensive, he added that Iran did not need to seek permission to carry out such activities.

Iran's Foreign Ministry insisted Tuesday that Sunday's missile test was not a violation of the UN Security Council resolution, which bars Iran from testing "ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons".