Iran Raps US Sanctions amid Vienna Talks
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry took a swipe at the US government for imposing sanctions on Iran in the course of Vienna negotiations on the revival of the JCPOA, saying Washington cannot utilize sanctions as a leverage.
In a post on his Twitter account on Tuesday, Saeed Khatibzadeh denounced the fresh US sanctions against a number of Iranian officials and entities over rights allegations, saying the intensification of anti-Iran measures will fail to create leverage and also runs counter to the anticipated seriousness and goodwill at a time that Iran and the remaining signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal are in the midst of a new round of talks on the removal of the American sanctions.
The US Treasury and State Department on Tuesday announced sanctions against a dozen Iranian government officials and organizations over accusations of human rights abuses.
“Even amid Vienna talks, US cannot stop imposing sanctions against Iran,” Khatibzadeh said.
“Washington fails to understand that 'maximum failure' & a diplomatic breakthrough are mutually exclusive. Doubling down on sanctions won't create leverage — and is anything but seriousness & goodwill,” he added.
The new sanctions targeted eight Iranian individuals and four organizations that the US administration claimed without providing any evidence to be involved in the repression of protesters and political activists, Press TV reported.
Iran and the remaining parties to the JCPOA have held seven rounds of talks in Vienna, which began after the US administration of Joe Biden voiced a willingness to rejoin the nuclear agreement, to examine the prospect of the bans’ fresh removal.
