Tehran, Iran — Iran has strongly condemned the latest round of U.S. sanctions targeting its oil exports, calling them unjustified and a violation of international law.
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei criticized the U.S. government’s decision to impose sanctions on several vessels and individuals accused of being involved in the sale and transportation of Iranian crude oil.
“These new sanctions contradict the principles of the United Nations Charter, particularly those urging respect for countries’ national sovereignty and their right to self-determination,” Baghaei said in a statement.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on Monday that it was imposing sanctions on “over 30 persons and vessels in multiple jurisdictions” involved in Iran’s petroleum trade, under executive orders targeting the country’s oil sector.
Baghaei described the move as “wrong, unjustified, and illegitimate,” arguing that it violates the human rights of the Iranian people. He added that the U.S. government would be held accountable on the international stage.
“The imposition of sanctions against the Iranian people is the biggest proof of their insincerity,” he said, referring to U.S. officials’ claims of willingness to engage with Iran. “It’s a clear indication of the U.S. policymakers’ hostility against the well-being, development, and happiness of the Iranian nation.”
The U.S. has intensified its sanctions against Iran since withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, aiming to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero as part of a “maximum pressure” campaign.
