Iran’s Zarif, Nicaraguan President Slam ‘Illegal’ US Sanctions

Speaking at the meeting in Managua on Monday, Zarif pointed to cruel sanctions against the Islamic Republic and Nicaragua and said despite all international regulations and resolutions, the US administration commits “economic terrorism” against independent nations.

He further highlighted various fields of cooperation between Iran and Nicaragua, including trade, industry, energy, agriculture, and finance and voiced the Islamic Republic’s willingness to develop and deepen bilateral ties.

Ortega, for is part, pointed to the sanctions and said, “We never accept the concept of US sanctions because it is not within the framework of international law.”

“These sanctions against our people and yours are unilateral and illegal,” added the Nicaraguan president.

Earlier in the day, Zarif had attended separate meetings with senior Nicaraguan officials, including President of the National Assembly Gustavo Porras Cortes, Foreign Minister Denis Moncada and President of Central Bank of Nicaragua Leonardo Ovidio Reyes Ramirez.

The visits come against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US with Washington imposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Since then, the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.

Iranian officials, however, have dismissed such moves as psychological warfare, saying the country has its own ways of circumventing the American bans and selling crude oil.