Tensions between the U.S and Iran are near breaking point following the shooting down of a $100 million U.S surveillance drone. An Iranian military official announcing that they are capable of shooting down more American drones is the latest jibe that continues to escalate the tensions.

Sanctions On Iran Regime

While Tehran insists, it had no option but to shoot the drone as it was flying over its airspace. The U.S insists that the drone was on international space. The U.S has so far bulked from carrying out military strikes in Iran waiting to see for how long it will remain patient.

While a military response is out of the table for the moment, the U.S is refusing to let everything slide. A new wave of sanctions targeting the Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei are on the way. The supreme leader was singled out in part because he was the only one who could give issued an order for the shooting down of the U.S drone.

In addition to the Supreme Leader, the new sanctions also target eight senior Iranian commanders that supervise the elite Islamic Revolution Guard. The new sanctions will lock up billions of dollars in Iranian assets as the Trump administration seeks to deny Iran leadership access to financial resources.

The ultimate goal is to cripple Tehran to a position it is not able to finance its regional military operations, including the financing of regional military operations. The U.S is also believed to be preparing sanctions against foreign minister Javad Zarif.

Calls for Negotiations

Sanctions imposed on Iranian energy shipping and financial sectors have already caused foreign investment to dry up in the oil-dependent country. As it stands, U.S companies cannot trade with Iran as well as foreign firms and countries.

The U.S ramping up pressure on a country already struggling with draconian oil and financial sanctions is part of a bigger plan to get the Supreme governing council to the negotiation table. For starters, the U.S wants Tehran to end its nuclear program and curb any missiles production.

President Trump has indicated that he is ready to open talks with the Iranian regime without any preconditions. Talks between the two countries could go a long way on averting a full-scale war that Trump insists will be an ‘obliteration as if you’ve never seen before.’