Iran has strongly criticized the United States for imposing fresh sanctions on its oil industry, as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed any possibility of negotiations with Washington.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!On Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, denounced the sanctions as “illegitimate and unlawful,” accusing the US of attempting to strangle Iran’s economy through unilateral pressure. “The US administration is preventing Iran from conducting legitimate trade with its partners. We hold them responsible for the consequences of such bullying actions,” Baghaei stated, according to state media IRNA.
Khamenei echoed this stance, warning against engagement with the US, calling it neither “smart, wise, nor honorable.” He cited past negotiations where Iran made concessions, only for the US to backtrack. “Experience shows that negotiating with America does not solve our problems. They tore up previous agreements and will do so again,” he said.
The new US sanctions, announced on Thursday, target Iranian firms, shipping entities, and individuals involved in transporting crude oil to China. This move is part of Washington’s broader effort to bring Iran’s oil exports to zero, aimed at pressuring Tehran over its nuclear program.
Despite the mounting economic restrictions, European nations—Germany, France, and the UK—have been engaging in diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was scrapped by the US in 2018.
While Iran remains open to diplomatic solutions, it continues to reject sanctions on its oil sector, labeling any efforts to confiscate its exports as “piracy.” Khamenei further warned that if the US threatens Iran’s security, Tehran “will respond in kind.”
