The United States said it was imposing sanctions on Iran’s defense ministry and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro under a contested UN authority, reported AFP. The US has demanded Europe to follow suit.

Though the Donald Trump administration on Monday named 27 people or entities on its list, but the UN says that the decision to impose sanctions is not up to Washington.

“The United States has now restored UN sanctions on Iran. My actions today send a clear message to the Iranian regime and those in the international community who refuse to stand up to Iran,” said Trump.

The US administration said that it is enforcing a UN arms embargo that Iran has violated. But it is using a UN resolution that blessed a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran negotiated by former president Barack Obama.

Trump pulled out of the resolution in 2018 but he argues that the US is still a “participant” in the accord as it was listed in the 2015 resolution.

All nations on the UN Security Council have rejected the legal argument virtually , with US’ European allies saying that the priority is to salvage a peaceful solution on Iran’s nuclear programme.

“We have made it very clear that every member state in the United Nations has a responsibility to enforce the sanctions,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters when asked about European opposition.

“That certainly includes the United Kingdom, France and Germany. We will have every expectation that those nations enforce these sanctions,” he said.

The individuals listed under the “UN” sanctions are mostly already targeted by the United States and include Iran’s defense ministry and its Atomic Energy Organization. The United States has separately been seeking to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has increasingly sought cooperation with Iran on the oil sector.

The State Department said it was again imposing sanctions on Maduro under the executive order from Trump that is based on the UN resolution, pointing to defense transactions between Iran and the leftist Venezuelan leader.

“For nearly two years, corrupt officials in Tehran have worked with the illegitimate regime in Venezuela to flout the UN arms embargo,” Pompeo said. “Our actions today are a warning that should be heard worldwide.”