The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe blamed the hyperinflation on economic sanctions imposed by the United States of America, the IMF and the European Union.[8][9] These sanctions affect the government of Zimbabwe,[10] and asset freezes and visa denials targeted at 200 specific Zimbabweans closely tied to the Mugabe regime.[11] There are also restrictions placed on trade with Zimbabwe, by both individual businesses and the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset Control.[12]