News / Politics

Foreign Ministry spokesman: New sanctions prove US ill will toward Iranians, continuation of ‘maximum pressure’ policy

Thursday, 26 May 2022 3:06 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 26 May 2022 3:15 PM ]

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh (file photo)

The spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry Saeed Khatibzadeh says new sanctions imposed by the United States against the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Quds Force reveal Washington’s animosity toward Iranians.

On Wednesday, the US imposed sanctions on what it described as a Russian-backed oil smuggling and money laundering network for the IRGC’s Quds Force.

The US Treasury Department claimed the network was led by current and former Quds Force figures, "backed by senior levels of the Russian Federation government" and included Chinese companies and a former Afghan diplomat.

Iran urges definite delisting of IRGC; US says many sanctions to remain

An Iranian official says the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) should definitely be removed from the US list of so-called foreign “terrorist” organizations.

On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran and its official and legal Armed Forces, especially the IRGC’s Quds Force, have been always a nightmare for terrorist and extremist groups in the region.”

“Naturally, the US government, as the stepmother of these terrorist groups, spares no effort to support them just in the same way that it has been imposing brutal and illegal sanctions against the people of Iran and their children in the IRGC since many years ago.”

New ill-intentioned sanctions show US misses no chance to pressure Iranians: Foreign Ministry

Iran says the new US sanctions against Tehran prove that Washington uses every opportunity to put pressure on the Iranian people.

“It is clear that despite its initial deceiving remarks, the administration of [US President Joe] Biden continues the same failed policy. This recent measure is another sign of the US government’s ill will toward the Iranian people and an extension of the disastrous ‘maximum pressure’ policy,” the spokesman added.

“As indicated in a recent statement by the UN Special Rapporteur, unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States amount to blatant violation of international regulations, which pursue no other goal, but to inflict pain and suffering on the Iranian people and the region, and to create unrest,” Khatibzadeh said.

UN rapporteur: Human rights in Iran severely affected by US sanctions

A top UN human rights official has slammed the US for its brutal sanctions regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran, asserting that harsh economic sanctions have had a damaging impact on human rights in the country.

He added that such measures will never affect the will of the Iranian people and government in pursuing their goals, including elimination of terrorism from the region.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to counteract such measures in a proportionate and firm manner in accordance with the principles of international law,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir