Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, İsmail Bagheri, bly criticized the new sanctions imposed by the United States, calling them an attempt at economic terrorism and a scheme to pressure Tehran.
Iran Vs USA Tension: Tensions between Iran and the United States have once again escalated. Iran has responded bly, accusing the U.S. of perpetrating economic terrorism. Furthermore, a planned Iran-U.S. meeting in Rome on Saturday has been postponed.
Why did the U.S. impose sanctions?
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the State Department announced new sanctions against Iran and associated entities on Tuesday and Wednesday. The U.S. alleges that:
- Certain companies and individuals are involved in the sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.
- These entities have ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- They are involved in the procurement of ballistic missile propellant technology.
- As a result, the U.S. has added six Iranian individuals, thirteen entities, and five foreign companies to its sanctions list.
Iran's Sharp Response
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman İsmail Bagheri Hamadeh described the U.S. action as "a blatant attempt at economic terrorism." He stated:
"These sanctions indicate that the U.S. seeks to disrupt legitimate and friendly cooperation among developing countries by flouting law and international relations."
Bagheri added that this move also reflects the double standards and lack of seriousness in the diplomacy of U.S. policymakers.
Meeting Cancelled: No Talks in Rome
A fourth round of talks between Iran and the U.S. was scheduled for Saturday in Rome, Italy. Iran sought sanctions relief from the U.S. in exchange for concessions on its nuclear program. However, these talks have now been postponed.
Connection to the Trump Deal and Current Tensions
This entire matter is related to the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA). Under this agreement, Iran pledged to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of U.S. sanctions.
However, in 2018, then-President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran. Following this, Iran gradually rolled back its commitments.
What does the U.S. say?
The U.S. has made it clear that it will not tolerate Iranian activities that "fund Tehran's terrorism." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in a press release:
"As long as Iran profits from oil and chemicals to fund terrorist activities and destabilizing actions, the U.S. and its partners will take all necessary steps to stop it."
