Iran has imposed sanctions on 61 Americans, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. According to Tehran’s reading, dozens of Americans have rallied behind the MEK’s exiled opposition movement. The sanctions come amid a diplomatic stand-off with the United States over the Iran deal.

Rudy Giuliani, former President Trump’s attorney, was also added to the list, as was John Bolton, a former security adviser. The sanctions mean that the Iranian government can confiscate US assets in Iran. In practice, it is probably mainly down to a symbolic act, because such a property does not seem to actually exist.

This is not the first time that Tehran has imposed measures against US leaders. Dozens of people were also punished in April and January.

Since November last year, Iran and the United States have been in talks again on resuming the 2015 Iran deal. In 2018, then-President Trump finalized the agreement package. Nuclear agreements were still a matter of debate in Qatar last June, but there appears to be an impasse now.