The Trump administration is emphasizing warnings against travel to Iran by U.S. citizens in light of the Islamic Republic's latest effort to implement a travel ban on Americans, which comes in response to the White House's new immigration order temporarily halting all immigration from Iran and several other Muslim-majority nations designated as terrorism hotspots, according to U.S. officials.
Iranian officials announced this week that they are poised to implement their own travel ban on U.S. individuals and entities they described as aiding "terrorist groups or [helping] regional dictatorial rulers crack down on their nations," according to comments carried in the country's state-controlled media.
Iran said the effort is part of a package of reprisals against the United States for the Trump administration's latest immigration order, which stops Iranian citizens and others from entering the United States for several months as American authorities seek to strengthen vetting procedures.
When questioned about Iran's potential travel ban on Monday, a State Department official confirmed to the Washington Free Beacon that the Trump administration is aware of the effort and emphasized current warnings against travel to Iran by U.S. citizens.
The official also disclosed that the Trump administration is taking steps to hold "Iran accountable for its behavior," which includes the test firing of illicit ballistic missile technology, the continued harassment of U.S. vessels operating in the region, and other provocative actions. New sanctions on Iran could be implemented as a result of this behavior, according to the official.
The comments signal a departure from the Obama administration, which refrained from implementing any new sanctions on Iran as part of an effort to preserve the nuclear agreement and avoid upsetting the Islamic Republic.
"We have seen the media reporting that Iran planned to ban travel to the country for U.S. citizens," a State Department official who was not authorized to speak on record told the Free Beacon.
"Generally, all U.S. citizens, especially dual nationals considering travel to Iran, should carefully read our latest Travel Warning," the official said, referring to an official warning stating that "Iranian authorities continue to unjustly detain and imprison U.S. citizens, particularly Iranian-Americans, including students, journalists, business travelers, and academics, on charges including espionage and posing a threat to national security."
Iran is attempting to detain U.S. citizens in order to gain leverage over America and force further concessions, such as reduced sanctions and access to international financial markets.
The United States will not refrain from enacting new sanctions on Iran going forward, according to the State Department official who spoke to the Free Beacon.
One of President Donald Trump's first actions in office was to approve new Iran sanctions targeting entities that support the country's illicit ballistic missile program.
"The United States is committed to holding Iran accountable for its behavior," the official said. "The United States will use its domestic authorities to designate such entities that support terrorism and entities affiliated with Iran's proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
Iranian officials say they are poised to publicly announce several U.S. citizens and entities that will be banned from traveling to Iran as part of the country's counter-ban on travel.
"We have defined mechanisms to reciprocate [Washington's measures] and restore our rights either in the field of the [U.S. violation of] nuclear deal, bilateral relations with the U.S., the U.S. president's travel ban order or the unfair sanctions they have imposed [against Tehran] recently," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi was quoted as telling the country's state-controlled media.
The State Department made clear that the United States remains committed to upholding the nuclear agreement, despite promises by Trump to dismantle the landmark agreement.
"The United States remains fully committed to its longstanding policy of ensuring that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon," the official told the Free Beacon.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, which is responsible for ensuring Iran's compliance with the deal, "continues to verify that Iran is fulfilling its commitments," the official maintained.