Iran has faced suspicion for decades over its nuclear ambitions and whether it’s developing the capability to fire an atomic weapon.

The Treasury sanctions are directed at more than a dozen people and companies based in China, India and the United Arab Emirates.

President Trump’s desire to engage in negotiations is a turnabout from his first term, when he often derided former President Barack Obama for agreeing to a nuclear deal with Iran.

Tension is escalating between the U.S. and Iran over its nuclear ambitions. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to sanction Iran over their development of nuclear weapons and their exporting terrorism through proxy groups.

Iran’s supreme leader says that negotiations with America “are not intelligent, wise or honorable” after Donald Trump floated nuclear talks with Tehran.

U.S. concerns about Iran developing nuclear weapons are not a complicated issue and can be resolved given Tehran's opposition to weapons of mass destruction, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday,

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said it wouldn’t be smart, wise or honorable to start fresh negotiations with the U.S. after President Donald Trump said he wanted a new nuclear deal.