Iran Raps New US Sanctions, Vows to Continue Missile Program

In a statement read out by Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari on Monday, the ministry described Washington’s new sanctions on 11 companies and individuals as “unilateral” and “ineffective”.

The new sanctions came hours after termination of anti-Tehran sanctions following confirmations from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Tehran had made good on its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear agreement finalized by Iran and six world powers in July 2015.

“Unfortunately, the US government revealed its chronic addiction to unilateralism and ineffective sanctions by adding several companies to its previous lists (of embargoes) in order to conceal having had no choice but bow to the will of the Iranian people and accede to (the country’s) peaceful nuclear program…,” the statement read.

While monitoring the implementation process of the US undertakings under the JCPOA, the Islamic Republic will respond to such propaganda campaigns and cases of harassment by pursuing its legitimate missile program more seriously and boosting its defense capabilities, it added.

Iran’s missiles are not designed in any way to carry nuclear warheads and therefore the country’s missile program does not contravene any international regulations, the statement went on to say.

The new financial sanctions by the US government were the first since Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) reached the landmark nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015.

Iran has repeatedly announced that test of missiles is an issue relating to defense of its territorial integrity and has nothing to do with the JCPOA.

Iran has also underscored frequently that its military might poses no threat to other countries and that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.