Iran denounces new U.S. sanctions on missile programme

The nuclear deal saw an end to years of painful economic sanctions on Iran but Washington on Sunday announced new financial measures against Tehran s ballistic missile programme.

“Iran will respond to such (U.S.) acts of propaganda and harassment by seriously continuing its missile program and enhancing its defensive capabilities and national security”, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said at his weekly press briefing.

“We’re not going to waver in the defense of our security or that of our allies and partners”, Obama said yesterday while announcing sanctions against 11 individuals and entities as a result of an Iranian ballistic missile launch in October.

Shortly afterward, the three left for the U.S. military base in Germany, a U.S. State Department official said.

Iran in response says new USA sanctions on its ballistic missile program have NO legal or moral legitimacy.

He also said a settlement between the United States and Iran at The Hague, in which Iran received $400 million in funds frozen since 1981 plus $1.3 billion in interest, would save US money.

“The agreement to free Americans imprisoned in Iran is a triumph of diplomacy that should be universally commended,”Parsi said”.

The new sanctions came after four Iranian-Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, were released in a prisoner swap with the United States. The episode is further proof of Iran’s splintered power structure, with hard-liners willing to sabotage gains made by moderates.

Talking to the people of Iran, Obama said, “For decades your government’s threats and actions to destabilise the region has isolated Iran from much of the world”.

Speaking after the Americans had been released from Tehran, President Obama hailed the Iran nuclear deal, pledging the Islamic Republic would not “get its hand on a nuclear bomb”. As global oil majors rush to Iran to make use of this, Indian players should also join the race so that they can build refining capacity in Iran.

Economic sanctions imposed on Iran because of its support for terrorism and violations of human rights will remain in place. The Iranian president also said the deal was a “turning point” for Iran’s economy, which was severely weakened by having been shut out of worldwide markets for the last five years.