Possible New US Sanctions against Iran “Illegal”, Says Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari on Thursday lashed out at the new sanctions the US administration is preparing to impose on Iran, saying Tehran has already warned Washington against such unilateral and illegal moves.
“Such measures are unilateral, arbitrary, and illegal, and the Islamic Republic of Iran has already warned the US administration (against such moves),” Jaberi Ansari stressed.
He made the remarks in reaction to recent reports that the Obama administration is preparing to impose its first financial sanctions on Iran since Tehran and six world powers, including the US, reached a landmark nuclear agreement in July.
“As they themselves have already announced, Iran’s missile program has nothing to do with the JCPOA (the nuclear deal), and nothing could deprive the Islamic Republic of Iran from its legitimate and legal rights to reinforce its defense power and national security,” he asserted.
Therefore, Jaberi Ansari went on to say, Iran will maintain its attempts to improve its defense power in reaction to any US interference against the Islamic Republic’s defense programs.
Iran in October successfully test-fired a homegrown ballistic missile dubbed ‘Emad’, a long-range guided projectile that can hit targets with high precision.
Using the missile test as a pretext, US officials announced on Wednesday that the Treasury Department will put in the blacklist nearly a dozen companies and individuals in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates for their alleged role in developing Iran’s ballistic-missile program.
Tehran has denied that the missile launch was in violation of UN resolutions, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif saying that it was not designed to carry nuclear warheads.
Iran’s test of missiles is an issue relating to defense of its territorial integrity and has nothing to do with the comprehensive nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers or with a subsequent resolution the UNSC passed to endorse the accord, Iran’s foreign minister underscored in October.
