Washington: US President Donald Trump said that Washington was talking to Iran, as his administration imposed sanctions on eight Canadian businesses accused of helping Tehran move money through cryptocurrency networks.
“We’re talking to Iran. We have been,” Trump told reporters before departing the White House.
The president portrayed the military situation as favourable to the United States and said the Strait of Hormuz was opening.
“We’ve beaten Iran. We are doing very well with Iran,” he said.
Asked for his message to Iran, Trump combined his claim of military success with an indication that diplomatic contacts were continuing.
His comments came on the same day that the Treasury Department announced sanctions against eight Canada-based money services businesses under Operation Economic Outcast.
Treasury accused the companies of exchanging Iranian rials and other currencies for digital assets to facilitate international transactions involving Iran. It said many had dealt with sanctioned Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges or addresses associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The action was coordinated with Canada’s financial intelligence unit, FINTRAC, the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Treasury said.
The sanctions announcement did not describe the measures as part of a negotiated arrangement or identify any connection between the designations and the contacts Trump discussed.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Washington would continue targeting revenue that it alleged supported Iran’s weapons programmes and regional proxies. He said the action reflected cooperation with Canada to protect the North American financial system.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the department would pursue Iran’s financial channels wherever they operated.
Treasury also alleged that several had handled drug proceeds linked to Canadian former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding. Those allegations were set out in the designation announcement; the official material reviewed did not include responses from the businesses.
The measures block designated entities’ property within US jurisdiction and generally prohibit US persons from dealing with them, unless authorised or exempt. They do not amount to a criminal conviction.
(IANS)
