Despite the recent announcement of the resumption of the Vienna talks next Thursday, the US did not hesitate to impose additional sanctions on Iran.

The sanctions come under the presumption of “defending democracy and fighting repression” in parallel to the widely-criticized US Summit for Democracy.

This round of sanctions targets more than a dozen people and entities in Iran, Syria and Uganda, nations that have been suffering economically and socially as a result of a string of previous sanctions. 

Amongst those designated are Special Units of Iran's Law Enforcement Forces and Counter-Terror Special Forces in addition to the leader of Iran’s Basij, Gholamreza Soleimani.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh hit back at Washington’s decision, noting on Twitter that the US cannot expect a diplomatic breakthrough in the nuclear deal negotiations while imposing additional sanctions.

Even amid #ViennaTalks, US cannot stop imposing sanctions against Iran.

Washington fails to understand that 'maximum failure' & a diplomatic breakthrough are mutually exclusive.

Doubling down on sanctions won't create leverage—and is anything but seriousness & goodwill.

— Saeed Khatibzadeh | سعید خطیب‌زاده (@SKhatibzadeh) December 7, 2021

Uganda’s chief of military intelligence, General Abel Kandiho, was also designated, prompting a response from the Ugandan military in which it revealed its disappointment as the decision was made without due process. 

"Treasury will continue to defend against authoritarianism, promoting accountability for violent repression of people seeking to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms," read the US Treasury’s statement.

The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister in charge of the nuclear file, Ali Bagheri Kani, announced earlier from Moscow that the eighth round of the Vienna talks is set to resume Thursday.

Iranian foreign minister Hossein AmirAbdollahian said Wednesday the talks were proceeding with seriousness, with sanctions removal as the fundamental priority.

On the other hand, France responded on Tuesday to Iran’s baseline request of removing sanctions in order to reach a deal by saying that it does "not constitute a reasonable basis for any accord.”