U.S. imposes Iran-related sanctions, files forfeiture complaints

The United States on Thursday slapped sanctions on multiple entities in Iran, China and Singapore over their purchase and sale of Iranian petrochemical products, in the Trump administration's latest move to increase pressure on Tehran less than a week before Nov. 3 election. At the same time the U.S. Justice Department also announced the filing of two civil forfeiture complaints involving the seizure of Iranian oil and weapons.

"The two forfeiture complaints allege sophisticated schemes by the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps )to secretly ship weapons to Yemen and fuel to Venezuela, countries that pose grave threats to the security and stability of their regions," said John Demers, the assistant attorney general for the National Security Division.