Kerry rejects Iranian criticism of U.S. sanctions

He did not give the amount of the transfers.

The penalties were imposed Sunday, a day after the US and other nations lifted sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program. President Hassan Rouhani said today Iran should redouble efforts to attract foreign investment and liberalize its economy.

Zarif said new USA sanctions imposed on Iran for its testing of ballistic missiles is an example of that addiction.

Iran is a major player in this year’s edition of the Davos meeting, just days after Tehran sealed a historic deal ending punishing sanctions by the West over its nuclear programme.

“I find it rather weird that the United States expresses concern over the Iranian missile programme, which is defensive and does not violate any current worldwide regulation”, Zarif said, addressing an audience of bankers and top business figures.

The U.S., which views the ballistic-missile program as a threat to worldwide security, imposed the sanctions on 11 people and entities linked to the program, barring them from using the U.S. banking system.

Zarif countered that Iran spends far less than its neighbors on its military. “The Iranian missile program is a legitimate defense program”, he told the AP. Speaking to reporters, he said he regretted that the images of US sailors captured and subsequently released in Iranian waters were made public.

Iran expects the deal will provide it an estimated $100 billion in sanctions relief. He put in a plug for Iran’s workforce and relative stability in a region riven with conflict including Yemen and Syria. The minister said they had no plans to meet.

Zarif insisted his country has “always played a positive role” in those two countries.

Despite lingering tensions between Iran and the United States despite the nuclear deal, he said, “the United States can take steps to overcome this mistrust”, he said, such as through implementation of the nuclear agreement.