US President Joe Biden on Friday extended for another year the national emergency declared with respect to Iran in 1995, the White House announced.
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Biden said, "I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12957 with respect to Iran and to maintain in force comprehensive sanctions against Iran to respond to this threat."
He further said that the decision has been taken as the actions and policies of the Iranian government continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the US.
The US President also accused Iran of proliferating and developing "missiles and other asymmetric and conventional weapons capabilities," maintaining "network and campaign of regional aggression," and supporting "terrorist groups and malign activities of the Revolutionary Guard Corps."
“I am continuing for one year the national emergency with respect to Iran declared in Executive Order 12957,” he added.
The Order, signed by President Bill Clinton on March 15, 1995, "prohibits certain transactions with respect to the development of Iranian petroleum resources in Iran."
In May, Clinton expanded the sanctions to include with order 12959, which prohibits the import of all Iranian goods to the United States.
In the meantime, State Department spokesman Ned Price said: “What we have said and the offer that we have put on the table together with our European partners still stands.
“It’s been a couple weeks now that we indicated our willingness to accept an invitation on the part of the EU to engage in direct diplomacy. On our part, it would be clear-eyed, principled, direct diplomacy with Iran in the context of the P5+1.”
