Iran slams US fresh sanctions bid: spokesman

Source:Xinhua Published: 2012-12-4 19:36:50

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast slammed the recent sanctions bid approved by the US Senate against Iran, Press TV reported on Tuesday.

"The recent measure by the US Senate is in compatible with the claims made by the US government in support of diplomacy and negotiation," Mehmanparast was quoted as saying on Monday.

Iran is under a number of unilateral Western sanctions on its oil and financial sectors over its controversial nuclear program.

The US Senate on Friday overwhelmingly approved expanded sanctions on Iran's energy, port, shipping and ship-building sectors.

The sanctions will penalize transactions with Iran's energy, port, shipping and ship-building sectors and target individuals who sell or supply materials, such as graphite, aluminum and steel, to Iran.

The measures will also slap sanctions on those who purchase Iran's oil with precious metals, including gold, in an effort to prevent Tehran from circumventing the existing economic sanctions.

Even if the US President Barack Obama administration opposes to the new round of sanctions, it will be indicative of the confusion in the corridors of power in the United States, Mehmanparast said, adding that the policies of such confused power systems are "untrustworthy."

The United States and its Western allies have accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under the guise of its civilian nuclear program, a charge Tehran has consistently denied.

Posted in: Mid-East

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