Iran condemns 'illegal and unjustified' US sanctions on oil industry

AFP , Sunday 13 Oct 2024

Iran condemned Sunday what it called an "illegal and unjustified" expansion of US sanctions targeting its oil industry following Tehran's missile attack on Israel earlier this month.

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File photo- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi .AFP

 

In a statement, foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei defended Iran's attack on Israel and "strongly condemned" the sanctions, saying they were "illegal and unjustified."

The United States hit Iran's oil and petrochemicals sectors with new sanctions Friday in response to Tehran's October 1 attack on Israel, designating dozens of new companies and firms.

The Treasury Department said it was going after Iran's so-called "shadow fleet" of ships involved in selling Iranian oil in circumvention of existing sanctions, designating 10 companies and 17 vessels as "blocked property" over their involvement in shipments of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.

The State Department also announced it was slapping sanctions on six other firms and six ships for "knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran."

"Today's sanctions target Iranian efforts to channel revenues from its energy industry to finance deadly and disruptive activity -- including development of its nuclear program, the proliferation of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

Israel has said its response to Iran's second direct attack against its territory this year would be "deadly, precise, and surprising."

US President Joe Biden told reporters last week that Israel should consider "other alternatives than striking oil fields," amid reports it was planning to do so.

His national security advisor Jake Sullivan said Friday that sanctions had been announced after the president had consulted with America's allies and partners.

"These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources used to support its missile programs and provide support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States, its allies, and partners," Sullivan said in a statement.

 

 

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