Iran Denounces US Sanctions Over Ballistic Missile Program Accusing Washington Of Hypocrisy

Foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari said Washington’s profitable sales of weaponry to the Middle East undermined the sanctions, which deny 11 companies and individuals access to the USA banking system.

Now, those sailors have been released – as well as five more Americans that had been imprisoned – the USA sanctions on Iran have been eliminated and an global agency has certified that Iran is complying with its part of the nuclear deal.

“We have consistently made clear that the United States will vigorously press sanctions against Iranian activities outside of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – including those related to Iran’s support for terrorism, regional destabilization, human rights abuses and ballistic missile program”.

“The US sanctions against Iran’s ballistic missile program… have no legal or moral legitimacy”, Reuters cited Ansari as saying in a televised news conference. The U.S. also removed Interpol red notices and dismissed charges against 14 Iranians for whom extradition was unlikely to be successful, reports ABC News.

Obama said the settlement between the United States and Iran at The Hague would save USA money.

The US has imposed fresh sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals over a recent ballistic missile test.

“They’re civilians, and their release is a one-time gesture to Iran given the unique opportunity offered by this moment and the larger circumstances at play”, Obama said.

After a stop in Switzerland Sunday, Rezaian and two others, Marine veteran Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abedini, arrived in Germany, where they are undergoing medical checkups.

Their flight from Iran was delayed for a time due to confusion over the whereabouts of Rezaian’s wife and mother, whom USA officials had insisted be part of the release deal.

John Kerry, the USA secretary of state, said that swap was the result of hard negotiations during a dozen separate meetings on the sidelines of the nuclear deal. The U.S. had held off the announcement of the new missile sanctions in order not to derail the prisoner exchange.

The deal has come under criticism by some Republicans, who have accused the Obama administration of being too quick to cut deals with Iran.

“All are happy except Zionists, warmongers, sowers of discord among Islamic nations and extremists in the U.S. The rest are happy”, Rouhani said, according to the AP.

Mr Amano met the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, and was to hold talks with President Hassan Rouhani to discuss monitoring and verifying Iran’s commitments under the agreement. The occasion for his Sunday boast is two-fold: Iran released several American hostages and the USA lifted $100-$150 billion in sanctions on Iran.