Iran yesterday said it would defy US sanctions reimposed on it by Washington, denouncing as “economic war” the US’ attempt to curb Tehran’s missile and nuclear programs, and weaken its influence in the Middle East.
The US move restores sanctions lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by the administration of former US president Barack Obama and five other world powers.
It adds 300 new designations in Iran’s oil, shipping, insurance and banking sectors.
Photo: AFP / Handout / Iranian presidency
European powers that continue to back the nuclear deal said they opposed the reimposition of sanctions and major oil buyer China said it regretted the move.
The restoration of sanctions is part of a wider effort by US President Donald Trump to force Iran to further limit its nuclear work and to halt its missile program, as well as its support for proxy forces in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East.
Switzerland said it is holding talks with the US and Iran about launching a humanitarian payment channel to help food and drugs keep flowing to Tehran.
US sanctions permit trade in humanitarian goods such as food and pharmaceuticals, but measures imposed on banks and trade restrictions could make such items more expensive.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday said that the penalties set to return “are the toughest sanctions ever put in place on the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The new sanctions were designed to “alter Iran’s behavior,” but they would not hurt the Iranian people, he said.
Iran’s clerical rulers yesterday dismissed concerns about the impact of sanctions on the economy.
“Today the enemy [the US] is targeting our economy … the main target of sanctions is our people,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said.
“America wanted to cut to zero Iran’s oil sales … but we will continue to sell our oil … to break sanctions,” he told economists.
The sanctions were illegal and unfair, he said.
“This is an economic war against Iran but ... America should learn that it cannot use the language of force against Iran... We are prepared to resist any pressure,” Rouhani said.
Reiterating Iran’s position that the Trump administration is not a trustworthy partner for talks, Rouhani said: “Holding talks is not an issue for us — only if the other party respects its commitments and promises.”
Trump in May said that the US was withdrawing from what he called the “worst ever” agreement negotiated by the US. The other parties to the deal — Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia — say they would not leave.
The deal had seen most international financial and economic sanctions on Iran lifted in return for Tehran curbing its disputed nuclear activity under UN surveillance.
The EU, France, Germany and Britain said in a joint statement that they regretted the US decision and would seek to protect European companies doing legitimate business with Tehran.
China, India, South Korea, Japan and Turkey — all top importers of Iranian oil — are among eight nations expected to be given temporary exemptions from the sanctions to ensure crude oil prices are not destabilized.
Additional reporting by the Guardian
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