No link between Iran freeing Americans, sanctions

Iran said on Monday new U.S. sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile programme were illegitimate because of Washington’s arms sales in the Middle East.

“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.

The US had launched the sanctions on Sunday amid worries that Iran’s ballistic missile program would be used to carry atomic warheads.

While tensions remain between the USA and Iran, Nekumanesh says most of the Iranian people are ready to embrace America “I don’t know about the Iranian government, but the Iranian people they love the United States”, Nekumanesh said.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday of the new sanctions: “Any action will be met by a reaction”.

“This is a good day”, the president said.

“Iran’s missile program has never been created to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons”, Mr Ansari was quoted as saying by local media.

“The nuclear negotiations which succeeded by the guidance of the Supreme Leader and support of our nation, were truly a golden page in Iran’s history”, Rouhani said.

Iran has denounced new U.S. sanctions placed on its missile program, but opted to push ahead with worldwide cooperation after its historic nuclear deal.

In exchange for the release of the Americans, the USA will either pardon or drop charges against seven Iranians – six of them dual citizens – accused or convicted of violating US sanctions.

The family of an Iranian American reporter who spent more than a year behind bars is thanking USA lawmakers and the journalism community for assisting in the chain of events which lead to his release.

Iran’s supreme leader has welcomed the lifting of sanctions against Tehran.

But Rouhani noted bitter opposition to the lifting of economic curbs from arch foe Israel, some members of the US Congress and what he called “warmongers” in the region – an apparent reference to some of Iran’s Gulf Arab adversaries.

These steps, combined with tighter IAEA inspections, extend to at least one year – from just a few months previously – how long Iran would need to make enough fissile material for one nuclear bomb.