US blacklists 5 Iranians for helping Yemen rebels
Washington, May 23: The US government has unveiled fresh sanctions against five Iranian individuals linked to the country's military who are supporting anti-government forces in Yemen.
The US Office of Foreign Assets Control issued the sanctions on charges that the elite Revolutionary Guard Corps have provided ballistic missile-related technology to Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Following the sanctions, all property and property interests of the designated subject to the US jurisdiction would be blocked. Any American person will be prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
An US Department of the Treasury statement on Tuesday said the weapons were not seen in Yemen prior to the current conflict, Xinhua news agency reported.
"The US will not tolerate Iranian support for Houthi rebels who are attacking our close partner, Saudi Arabia.
"All countries in the region should be on guard to prevent Iran from sending its personnel, weapons, and funds in support of its proxies in Yemen," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.
The Houthis launched missiles at Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on May 9, while previous targets included Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport and a US Navy ship.
The sanction followed US punishment of Iran for alleged "abuse" of the international financial systems.
Any foreign financial institution which "knowingly" facilitate significant transactions for, or persons that provide material or certain other support to, the individuals and entities designated would also risk exposure to sanctions.
Since US President Donald Trump announced his decision to exit the historic Iran nuke deal, the US Treasury has launched several sanctions against Iran.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that Washington will inflict the strongest sanctions on Tehran to force the Islamic republic to change its course.
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T20 WC star Samson named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March
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Dubai (PTI): India opener Sanju Samson was on Tuesday named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March, capping a stellar run that saw him play a defining role in the team's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign.
Samson did not get to play in the early part of the tournament but was the standout performer in the big games towards the end and helped India retain the title.
His latest honour also extends a unique streak, with players from different countries winning the award over the past five months including South Africa's Simon Harmer, Australia's Mitchell Starc, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan.
"Winning the ICC Player of the Month award is an incredible feeling, especially as it comes during what has been the most unforgettable phase of my cricketing journey. Playing a part in India's triumph at the Men's T20 World Cup was truly a dream realised, and it took some time for the magnitude of that moment to fully sink in," Samson said.
"This is an exciting era for Indian cricket, with immense talent across the board. I feel grateful for the opportunities I've received, and for the trust and support from my team-mates and coaching staff that have allowed me to perform at my best."
Not a regular part of the playing XI in the initial stages of the tournament, Samson was eventually called up for India's must-win Super 8 fixtures. After starting off with 24 against Zimbabwe, he picked form and didn't look back.
The opener missed out on a century against the West Indies by just three runs, but his attacking 97 not out set up India's spot in the semifinal.
A blistering 89 against England at the Wankhede helped India to 253 for 7, and the target proved elusive for the English who missed out by seven runs on March 5.
An equally amazing 89 was churned out during India's successful title defence in Ahmedabad, securing a 96-run win.
In the three crucial T20Is he was a part of in March, Samson notched up 275 runs at an astonishing average of 137.50 and a stunning strike rate of 199.27.
This is the first time that Samson has secured an ICC Men's Player of the Month honour.
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr won the women's honour for the third time, after an outstanding series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Taking over the white-ball teams from Sophie Devine, Kerr's captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her with both the ball and the bat. In the Zimbabwe ODI series, she managed to snap 16 wickets in just three matches, including her career-best figures of 7/34.
Additionally, she also contributed with the bat, being the third highest run-scorer in the ODIs, scoring 140 runs across three games with an average of 46.67 in the counting month.
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