Trump Announces Iran Sanctions, Says Has Suspicions over Ukrainian Plane

W460

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday the United States had imposed new sanctions on Iran following missile strikes on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq that resulted in no American or Iraqi deaths.

"It's already been done. We've increased them. They were very severe, but now it's increased substantially," Trump said, without offering any specifics.

Trump had promised the "additional punishing sanctions" in an address to the nation Wednesday in retaliation for the attack -- seen by experts as a measured first response by Tehran to the killing of Iran's top General, Qasem Soleimani, in an American drone strike in Baghdad.

Separately, Trump said he had "suspicions" about the crash of a Ukrainian airliner outside Tehran as U.S. media reported it had been mistakenly shot down by Iran.

"I have my suspicions," Trump said. "It was flying in a pretty rough neighborhood and somebody could have made a mistake."

Trump's remarks came as Newsweek, CBS and CNN reported that the plane had been accidentally shot down by Iranian air defense systems.

All 176 people aboard died in the crash near Tehran on Wednesday.

"Some people say it was mechanical. I personally don't think that's even a question," Trump said, adding that "something very terrible happened."

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