https://arab.news/7md87
- US on Friday slapped Iran with a spate of new sanctions on the country鈥檚 oil and petrochemical industry in response to Tehran鈥檚 October 1 attack against Israel.
Tehran: Iran condemned Sunday what it called an 鈥渋llegal and unjustified鈥� expansion of US sanctions targeting its oil industry following Tehran鈥檚 missile attack on Israel earlier this month.
In a statement, foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei defended Iran鈥檚 attack on Israel and 鈥渟trongly condemned鈥� the sanctions, saying they were 鈥渋llegal and unjustified.鈥�
The United States on Friday slapped Iran with a spate of new sanctions on the country鈥檚 oil and petrochemical industry in response to Tehran鈥檚 October 1 attack against Israel.
Baghaei defended Iran鈥檚 attack on Israel as being legal and insisted on Iran鈥檚 right to respond to the new sanctions.
The US Treasury Department said it targeted Iran鈥檚 so-called shadow fleet of ships involved in selling Iranian oil in circumvention of existing sanctions.
It said it had designated at least 10 companies and 17 vessels as 鈥渂locked property鈥� over their involvement in shipments of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.
The State Department also announced it was placing sanctions on six further firms and six ships for 鈥渒nowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.鈥�
Baghaei said 鈥渢he policy of threats and maximum pressure鈥� had no impact on 鈥淚ran鈥檚 will to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interests and citizens against any violation and foreign aggressions.鈥�
He said the sanctions would enable Israel 鈥渢o continue killing innocents and pose a threat to the peace and unity of the region and the world.鈥�
The new wave of sanctions comes as the world awaits Israel鈥檚 promised response to Tehran鈥檚 missile attack, with oil prices hitting their highest levels since August.
Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden advised Israel against targeting oil infrastructure in Iran, one of the world鈥檚 10 largest producers.
Iran鈥檚 foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi last Tuesday warned that 鈥渁ny attack against infrastructure in Iran will provoke an even stronger response.鈥�