Tehran Condemns U.S. Sanctions as “Blatant Assault” on Iranian People
Iran slams new US oil sanctions as 'hostile assault,' vows defiance. Foreign Ministry calls measures 'malicious' targeting of people's rights, accuses Washington of 'addiction to unilateral pressure.' 20+ energy entities blacklisted.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Iranian government on Thursday fiercely condemned the latest United States sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic’s energy and petroleum sectors, characterizing the measures as a “blatant assault” on the Iranian people and a continuation of Washington’s “hostile policy.”
The reaction comes after the U.S. State Department announced sanctions on Wednesday against 20 entities engaged in the Iranian petroleum trade, in addition to five vessel management firms and one petroleum wholesaler. The targeted network is accused of transporting and purchasing Iranian oil, petroleum products, and petrochemicals.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei slammed the sanctions, describing them as “clear evidence of the hostility of American decision-makers towards the Iranian people.”
He added, “The Iranian people, aware of the malicious intentions of these aggressor sanctions—whose only purpose is to weaken Iran and violate the fundamental rights of every Iranian—will stand firm with all their might to protect their dignity and interests.”
Baqaei went on to accuse the U.S. administration of a “chronic addiction to unilateralism” and denounced the use of “pressure tactics in pursuit of illegitimate goals.”
In a separate interview published on Thursday by the Financial Times, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi further escalated Tehran’s rhetoric, stating that Washington must compensate Iran for the losses it suffered during the U.S. strikes in June.
“They have to explain why they attacked us in the middle of negotiations,” Araghchi said. “And they must guarantee that such actions will not be repeated.”
The remarks are viewed as a firm hardening of Iran’s position ahead of any potential resumption of nuclear talks with the United States.
Largest Sanctions Package Since 2018
The latest sanctions represent the largest such package imposed on Iran since the Trump administration’s 2018 withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). According to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the blacklisted network includes over 115 individuals, entities, and vessels, many of them linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
U.S. officials accuse the network of laundering billions of dollars through oil and commodity shipments primarily to China, using foreign passports and shell companies to bypass international sanctions and amass wealth.
Some vessels in the network were also allegedly used to transport missiles and drone components to Russia in exchange for oil—deepening global concerns about Iran’s growing military and economic partnerships with Moscow.
This latest escalation underscores the enduring geopolitical friction between Washington and Tehran and the increasing complexity of regional and global security dynamics.
