The US is undermining the Iran nuclear deal by imposing sanctions on the country, a ranking Iranian official has said on state TV.
US President Donald Trump signed into law Wednesday morning legislation that levies new sanctions against Iran, alongside Russia and North Korea.
The bill seeks to ban anyone dealing with Iran’s ballistic missile program from entering the US, and blocks transactions on properties held in the US by people associated with the program.
The Iran nuclear deal is designed to monitor and curtail Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief.
Iran is yet to issue a formal response to the sanctions imposed by US.
‘Destructive, threatening’ actions
On Wednesday, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley condemned Iran’s testing of a space launch vehicle which could be converted into a ballistic missile, according to a UN press release.
«Our friends and allies in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany join us in calling out and condemning Iran’s destructive and threatening actions, » she said.
«The world must not allow Iran to act in defiance of the Security Council and its resolutions. The United States will be vigilant in ensuring that Iran is held accountable for such behavior.»
She also accused Iran of aiding terrorist groups such as Hezbollah.
The country’s ballistic missile program and alleged state sponsorship of terrorism are two items not covered by the nuclear deal.
Long-time opponent
Trump, on the campaign trail and since taking office, has frequently railed against the nuclear deal.
Trump has long promised he would take a tough line on the country — including his calls on the campaign trail for the US to tear up or renegotiate the deal, which he has decried as «the worst deal ever.»
However, he has since twice re-certified the deal, most recently in July, extending the sanctions relief granted to Iran under the agreement. The US must certify to Congress every 90 days that Iran is complying with the deal.
At that time, the Trump administration coupled its certification to Congress of Iran’s compliance with a blistering critique of Iran’s non-nuclear activities, saying Iran is «unquestionably in default of the spirit» of the deal.
«The secretary of state — and the President — intends to emphasize that Iran remains one of the most dangerous threats to the US and to regional security, » a senior administration official said after the deal was re-certified.
«Moving forward, the administration intends to employ a strategy that will address the totality of Iran’s malign behavior and not just focus on the nuclear deal, » the official said at the time, foreshadowing the sanctions bill.
Leader endorsed for second term
Deputy Foreign Minister Araqchi’s rhetoric comes as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is endorsed by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for his second term after being re-elected in a landslide in May.
In attendance, according to Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) , is North Korea’s second-most powerful leader, Kim Yong-nam. The news agency says senior officials from 92 countries are in Tehran for an oath-taking ceremony Saturday.
Rouhani brokered the deal with then-US President Barack Obama in 2015, alongside other world leaders and multinational groups.
