Iran’s FM Slams EU Sanctions against Iranian Officials

Zarif strongly criticized the EU for adding the names of 8 Iranian officials and 3 foundations to its list of “human rights” sanctions, adding, "In recent years, the European Union has shown that it is gradually losing its relevance in international relations by failing to meet its obligations and succumbing to US pressure.”

“Instead of condemning the US move to pose a terrorist threat to the food and medicine security of 82 million Iranians and to take serious action against the enrichment site incident, they simply ignored it and at the same time imposed sanctions on Iranian military officials. These only prove that the EU has no place in the world," he went on to say.

"We will deal with this action. Yesterday, we announced some of the decisions of the Islamic Republic regarding this action, and we are considering sanctions against Europeans who were involved in this illegal action, and we will continue this process," Zarif stated.

"A Europe in which xenophobia and anti-Islamism have created terrible conditions for Muslims has neither a reputation nor a place to sanction Iranian officials," the foreign minister noted.

The EU on Monday issued a communique announcing that eight Iranian officials and three foundations have been added to the list of “human rights” sanctions.

In relevant remarks on Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh deplored the EU for sanctioning 8 Iranian officials on charges of “human rights violation”, saying that the measure has been taken with political motives.  

“The new sanctions are not only null and void, but also more than ever defame those who exploit such lofty concepts like human rights,” he added.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran in reaction to the latest EU sanctions, suspends the whole ongoing negotiations with the EU, including those on human rights, and the entire resulting cooperation of those talks, especially on terrorism, narcotic drugs, and refugees,” he further said.