The Treasury Department sanctioned “companies used by Iran’s Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industry Commercial Co. (PGPICC), one of the nation’s largest petrochemical brokers, to facilitate the sale of tens of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products from Iran to East Asia”. In parallel, the State Department designated a vessel and two entities “engaged in the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport or marketing of Iranian petroleum and petroleum products, including providing logistical support to the Iranian petroleum trade”. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted: “The U.S. has been sincere in pursuing a path of meaningful diplomacy to achieve a mutual return to full implementation of the JCPOA. Until Iran is ready to return to full implementation of the JCPOA, we will continue to use our sanctions authorities to target exports of petroleum, petroleum products and petrochemical products from Iran”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson condemned the move and said: “Even in the process of ongoing efforts to resume [nuclear] negotiations in order to return to the agreement, they will not stop this fruitless and destructive action”. He further vowed “a decisive, firm and immediate reaction”.