Iran accuses United States of harassment over missile program sanctions

In a speech delivered from the White House, President Barack Obama hailed the beginning of the implementation of the historic Iran Nuclear Deal.

On January 17, a day after nuclear-related sanctions were lifted against Tehran, the United States announced fresh sanctions against Iranian companies and individuals linked to Iran’s ballistic-missile program.

“We look forward to the joyous occasion of welcoming him back to the Washington Post newsroom”, publisher Frederick Ryan Jr. said in a statement.

“Iran’s recent missile test, for example, was a violation of its worldwide obligations”.

“For decades”, he said, “our differences meant our governments nearly never spoke – ultimately, that did not advance America’s interests”.

Obama also announced the resolution of a longstanding dispute over money Iran had transfered to buy military equipment from the USA before the two nations broke ties.

The president spoke shortly after the Americans began their journey home. “If Americans take action in other areas other than nuclear, they will receive the appropriate response”, Hassan Rouhani said. The deal also freed four American held in Iranian custody.

Obama said “profound differences” remain with Iran over its “destabilising activities” and posing of threat to Israel.

Iranian assets held in the worldwide financial system, estimated to be worth between $50 billion and $150 billion, have now been released as a result of Obama’s order.

“We released seven terrorists who had helped Iran with their nuclear program, and we agreed not to prosecute another 14 terrorists for doing the same thing”, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz said on Fox News Sunday.

Foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari said Washington’s sales of weaponry to allies in the Middle East, worth tens of billions of dollars each year, was used to commit “war crimes against Palestinian, Lebanese and most recently Yemeni citizens”.

“During the 10-12 years that they created the fabricated case, we lost the opportunities for technical cooperation with the IAEA”, Salehi said, speaking in a joint press conference with Amano.