The United States has rejected the European Union’s plea to spare European companies from sanctions as the Trump ad-ministration tightens grip around Iran.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told European allies, in a letter, that the White House has rejected the plea and that the US would only make exemptions if they benefited US national security, BBC reports.
The US administration will apply by August new sanctions on Iran after President Donald Trump withdrew in May the United States from the 2015 nuclear accord signed between Iran and world powers.
Trump said he pulled out his country because the deal signed under his predecessor Barack Obama was laced with flaws.
European signatories of the pact, namely France, Germany and Britain, have distanced themselves from Trump as they have been trying the save the deal, which has provided busi-ness opportunities to European companies.
They have begun reviving legislations that would allow Euro-pean companies to continue doing business with Iran, BBC re-ports.
Trump has vowed to punish European companies, which will continue doing business with Iran. Trump’s entourage indicat-ed that the economic pressure is aimed at regime change in Iran.
