Iran condemned the United States’ imposition of new financial sanctions on Friday, labeling them “illegal” and “unjustified.” The sanctions target a network accused of facilitating the shipment of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian crude oil to China.
In a statement, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, described the US move as “illegitimate” and “violative,” claiming it aimed to pressure the Iranian nation by obstructing its legal trade with economic partners.
“The decision of the new US government to exert pressure on the Iranian nation by preventing Iran’s legal trade with its economic partners is an illegitimate, illegal and violative measure,” Baqaei said, adding that the sanctions were “categorically unjustified and contrary to international rules.”
US Sanctions Target Oil Shipments to China
On Thursday, the US Department of the Treasury announced sanctions on an international network accused of facilitating the shipment of millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil to China, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. The oil was allegedly transported on behalf of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and a sanctioned front company, Sepehr Energy Jahan Nama Pars, according to the Treasury Department’s statement.
The new sanctions are part of the ongoing pressure campaign that has been a central feature of US policy toward Iran, particularly under former President Donald Trump, who reinstated his “maximum pressure” strategy against Tehran in an attempt to curb its nuclear ambitions.
Trump’s ‘Maximum Pressure’ Policy Reinstated
The sanctions are a direct result of President Trump’s decision to reimpose his aggressive “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran, alleging that the country was pursuing nuclear weapons development. This move follows the US’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), during Trump’s first term.
While Iran had adhered to the terms of the deal until a year after the US exit, Tehran began scaling back its commitments when the US failed to meet its obligations. Efforts to revive the nuclear agreement have since stalled.
Trump Calls for ‘Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement’
In recent remarks, Trump reiterated his stance on Iran, calling for a “verified nuclear peace agreement” and insisting that Iran “cannot have a Nuclear Weapon.” However, Tehran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and firmly denies any intentions of developing nuclear weapons.
Iran has expressed strong opposition to the “maximum pressure” policy, arguing that it is doomed to fail and harms ordinary Iranians. The sanctions imposed on Iran continue to have a significant impact on its economy, and Tehran has called for a diplomatic resolution to the standoff over its nuclear program.
