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Iran's Top Diplomat Tests Positive for COVID-19

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian waves as he leaves after his meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Abdullah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian waves as he leaves after his meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Abdullah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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Iran's Top Diplomat Tests Positive for COVID-19

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian waves as he leaves after his meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Abdullah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian waves as he leaves after his meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Abdullah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Iran's foreign minister is at home in quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus, the country's state TV reported on Monday.

According to the official IRNA news agency, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian's general condition was described as good. The report quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying the country's top diplomat is able to perform his work-related duties remotely.

IRNA did not confirm that Abdollahian has COVID-19 as the state TV later did. Many Iranian officials have had the illness caused by the coronavirus.

With nearly 6 million positive cases, Iran has been hit the worst by the pandemic in the Middle East. The country of 84 million people has reported more than 125,000 deaths, The Associated Press reported.

Iranian officials have warned that with less than 45% of the nation fully vaccinated, more surges of the virus are expected. The latest surge came in August, fueled by the contagious delta variant.

Less than half the population in Iran follows measures such as wearing face masks and social distancing.

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US Deepens Sanctions on Iran’s ‘Shadow’ Oil Fleet

A statue of former Sen. Albert Gallatin stands at the Treasury Department in Washington, US, April 25, 2021. (Reuters)
A statue of former Sen. Albert Gallatin stands at the Treasury Department in Washington, US, April 25, 2021. (Reuters)
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US Deepens Sanctions on Iran’s ‘Shadow’ Oil Fleet

A statue of former Sen. Albert Gallatin stands at the Treasury Department in Washington, US, April 25, 2021. (Reuters)
A statue of former Sen. Albert Gallatin stands at the Treasury Department in Washington, US, April 25, 2021. (Reuters)

The Biden administration on Tuesday ramped up its sanctions on Iran, targeting 35 entities and vessels that it said transported illicit Iranian petroleum to foreign markets as part of what the US Treasury Department called Tehran's "shadow fleet."

The sanctions build on those previously imposed on Oct. 11 and come in response to Iran's Oct. 1 attack on Israel and to its announced nuclear escalations, the US Department of Treasury said in a statement.

"Iran continues to funnel revenues from its petroleum trade toward the development of its nuclear program, proliferation of its ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology, and sponsorship of its regional terrorist proxies, risking further destabilizing the region," Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith said in a statement.

"The United States remains committed to disrupting the shadow fleet of vessels and operators that facilitate these illicit activities, using the full range of our tools and authorities," Smith added.

Such sanctions target key sectors of Iran's economy with the aim of denying the government funds to support its nuclear and missile programs. The move generally prohibits any US individuals or entities from conducting any business with the targets and freezes any US-held assets.