Iran condemned the US sanctions on shipping, saying they would hinder its legitimate trade, „Reuters“ reported, News.bg reports.
The sanctions, introduced on January 6, were announced by the US Treasury Department and affect several individuals and tankers transporting Iranian crude oil to China.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei described Washington's actions as „illegitimate and illegal“. He said the US bears responsibility for the "consequences of such unilateral and repressive measures." These are the first sanctions against Iran's oil industry since Donald Trump took office. The president has announced his intention to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero as part of a strategy to curb Tehran's nuclear program. On January 5, Trump resumed his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, aimed at cutting off oil revenues in order to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.