New sanctions imposed on Iran’s ballistic missile program by the United States are mere “propaganda”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Jaber Ansari said Monday in Tehran.
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Rezaian and two other Iranian-Americans arrived in Germany after leaving Tehran on Sunday in a prisoner swap following the lifting of most global sanctions on Iran under last year’s landmark nuclear accord.
Yet underscoring the strain that continues to exist between the USA and Iran, the Obama administration also announced new penalties Sunday on 11 individuals and entities involved in Tehran’s ballistic missile program.
“We are really reminded once again of diplomacy’s power to tackle significant challenges”, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.
“We will continue to enforce these sanctions vigorously”, Obama said.
“Personally, I was happy to hear the news”, said Hamid Rafi, an Iranian-born, USA citizen.
The Iranian side welcomed the USA decision about releasing these funds.
S anctions against Iran’s nuclear programme were officially lifted on Saturday after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) determined that Iran had fulfilled its obligations under an agreement reached in July 2015.
“It actually pushed a lot of my friends away from the country just because of this”, said Pedram Farashbandi, who left Iran in 2005. Not only did the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declare last summer’s nuclear deal legitimate, unlocking some $100 billion in sanctions relief; Iran released four Americans who have been imprisoned in the country.
Kerry also confirmed the release of the fourth Iranian-American freed in the prisoner swap, Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, and American Matthew Trevithick, who was released in a separate process.
“Switzerland has always supported the process to negotiate and implement the agreement”, it said, adding that the cabinet “is confident that implementation of the nuclear agreement and the lifting of worldwide sanctions will enable political and economic exchanges with Iran to be intensified”.
The remarks were a riposte to doubters who say that the diplomatic success of the nuclear deal will not translate into concrete economic benefits for Iran’s economy.
Iran has always denied wanting nuclear weapons, saying its activities are exclusively for peaceful purposes.
Obama said the nuclear deal with Iran will prevent that country from making a bomb.
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The Treasury said three of the sanctioned Iranian officials have had close ties with the North.
