Obama Signs Order Blocking Iranian Assets in US

(NewsCore) - President Barack Obama has signed an executive order blocking all Iranian government and central bank assets in the US.

The order, signed Sunday, calls for a freezing of all property of the Central Bank of Iran and other Iranian financial institutions.

Obama said the move was "warranted" because of the "deceptive practices" Iranian banks used to hide business done with already-sanctioned entities.

The new sanctions are an extension of a law passed by Congress in December that targeted Iran's oil sector in an attempt to force the regime to shift course on its nuclear program, AFP reported.

"These actions underscore the Administration's resolve to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its failure to meet its international obligations," a statement from the Treasury Department said.

The move comes a day after Obama said the US was working "in lockstep" with Israel to manage a potential nuclear threat from Iran.

During a pre-Super Bowl interview with NBC's Matt Lauer Sunday, Obama said he believes Iran is "feeling the pinch" from the international community and its desire for Iran to be more forthcoming about its nuclear program.

"Until they do, I think Israel, I think rightly, is going to be very concerned," he said.

He also continued to stress that the US is looking for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian threat, although he noted that "we're not going to take any options off the table."