Iran denounces USA ‘propaganda’ over missile program

“The region, the United States and the world will be more secure”. Iranian media say the military has test-fired several short-range missiles, including the type Palestinian militant Hamas group used to attack Tel Aviv last November.

The new sanctions came after four Iranian-Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, left Tehran following their release in a prisoner swap with the United States.

This was a busy weekend for US-Iran relations, with Switzerland continuing to play a role as US President Barack Obama announced the end to nuclear sanctions.

The UN atomic watchdog had confirmed on Saturday that Iran had complied with the measures imposed by a deal with global powers reached in Austria in July previous year.

“All oppressive sanctions imposed against Iran will be annulled today”, Zarif said on Iranian state TV, AP reported.

In his first comments since most European Union sanctions were lifted along with many important United States embargoes, Iran’s highest authority made it clear that Washington should be treated with suspicion. “We will have to try and act as a Congress”, said Sen.

“This is a good day, because, once again, we’re seeing what’s possible with strong American diplomacy”, Obama said in a statement from the White House.

Obama campaigned for the White House in 2008 on a promise to engage with USA enemies including Iran and Cuba.

Many local Iranian-Americans who gathered in Westwood said they were encouraged by the deal.

Hours after each side released prisoners, President Obama on Sunday announced new sanctions on 11 companies and individuals who supply Iran’s ballistic missile system.

“It is not coincidental that that money was exchanged and that the Iranians, I understand, verified that it had been fully delivered before they let these three people actually leave the country”, he said Wednesday. A fifth American, Matthew Trevithick, was also freed from an Iranian prison, according to reports.

“With the nuclear deal done, prisoners released, the time was right to resolve this dispute as well”, he said, adding that the USA remained “steadfast in opposing Iran’s destabilizing behavior elsewhere”.

Critics, including Obama’s Republican opponents, have poured scorn on the deal, saying it fails to do enough to ensure Iran will never acquire the bomb.