WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Iran will be punished if it strikes Americans, according to the White House on Sunday. This includes any Iranian sanctioned for killing General Qassem Solimani by drone strike in 2020.

Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor said that Iran’s sanction on Saturday was issued as proxy militias continued to attack American troops throughout the Middle East.

In a statement, Sullivan declared that “we will work with allies and our partners to deter or respond to any attack by Iran.” Iran could attack any one of our nationals including the 52 individuals named yesterday. It would face serious consequences.

Iran on Saturday imposed sanctions https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-imposes-sanctions-americans-over-2020-killing-top-general-2022-01-08 on dozens more Americans, many of them from the U.S. military, over the 2020 killing of Soleimani.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry claimed 51 Americans were targeted by “terrorism” or human rights violations. This allows Iranian authorities to seize all assets that they have in Iran. However, the absence of assets suggests it will probably be symbolic.

It wasn’t clear why Sullivan said 52 people, when Tehran claimed it sanctioned 51.

U.S. general Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was among Iran’s sanctioned. Robert O’Brien, a former White House national security advisor, was also part of the sanctions.

Soleimani was the commander of Iran’s Quds force, an overseas arm of elite Revolutionary Guards. He was shot and killed by a drone attack on January 3, 2020.

A year ago, Iran imposed sanctions https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-usa-sanctions/iran-blacklists-trump-u-s-officials-as-his-term-nears-end-idUSKBN29O24F on Trump and several senior U.S. officials.