WASHINGTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department announced on Tuesday that it has designated al-Ashtar Brigades (AAB), which it claimed is an Iran-backed terrorist group in Bahrain, as a foreign terrorist organization.
The State Department has also added ABB to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and blacklisted two individuals affiliated to the group, noting that the organization "aimed at overthrowing the Bahraini government" has claimed responsibility for numerous "terrorist attacks".
Sanctions including freezing all the assets the designated entity may hold in the United States and generally cutting off its business relations with U.S. individuals will be imposed upon the organization.
It was the latest in a string of sanctions imposed by Washington upon entities and individuals related to Tehran after U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to exit the Iran nuclear deal in May, a move that has been widely criticized by the international community.
The United States said earlier this month that it will resume sanctions on Iran's energy sector and petroleum-related transactions in early November, which could be a big blow to the Middle East country whose revenues largely depend on oil export.
Iran's petroleum ministry announced Sunday that there has been no major change in Iran's production and export of crude oil despite the sanction threats.
