US should follow reason, opt for diplomacy, not sanctions

Following Washington's threat to impose additional sanctions on Teheran after the latter shot down a drone of the United States military, the other shoe dropped on Monday.

Along with President Donald Trump's executive order announcing sanctions on the Supreme Leader of Iran as well as his Office, the US Treasury Department subjected eight senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to the same sanctions. The move is meant to deny those designated access to certain financial resources by blocking transactions involving any property or other assets they hold in the US, according to Trump and the White House. And the designation of the Iranian foreign minister is said to be forthcoming.

Together with US State Secretary Mike Pompeo's ongoing visits to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, this marks a fresh move to isolate Teheran economically and diplomatically.