Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran’s oil sector and Tehran cracked down on dissidents, in contrast to the hopeful talk that emerged from the two countries’ nuclear negotiations last week.
Four reformist politicians were arrested Sunday, while the Nobel peace laureate Narges Mohammadi had seven years added to her 14-year sentence. The latest discussions were “a good start,” both countries said, although they have fundamental disagreements: Washington is demanding Tehran give up all its enriched uranium and limit its ballistic missiles’ range; Tehran has rejected both requests.
Iran wants to kick the can down the road, The New York Times reported, but with US forces gathering in the region, “the road may be shorter than Iran seems to believe.”