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Iran
slams new round of US sanctions as ‘invasion’, says they violate
nuclear dealL
RT,
30
August, 2014
Iran’s
president has condemned as an “invasion” new sanctions on around
30 firms, banks and individuals, imposed by the US amid stalled talks
on Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran believes Washington’s move
contradicts earlier agreements.
"Sanctions
are an invasion of the Iranian nation. We should resist the invasion
and put the invaders in their place,"
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani told officials in remarks broadcast
by state TV. "We
should not allow the continuation and repetition of the
invasion."
On Friday, the United States announced it was putting more pressure on Iran by penalizing around 30 businesses, banks and individuals, allegedly helping Iran proceed with working on its nuclear program, supporting terrorism and letting Iran evade prior sanctions.
"Today we took additional steps in our effort to maintain pressure on the government of Iran," said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the White House's National Security Council.
Additional sanctions contradict an interim agreement reached by Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers, Iran's state TV said. The deal includes Iran curbing its nuclear activities in exchange for lifting some of its sanctions.
On Friday, the United States announced it was putting more pressure on Iran by penalizing around 30 businesses, banks and individuals, allegedly helping Iran proceed with working on its nuclear program, supporting terrorism and letting Iran evade prior sanctions.
"Today we took additional steps in our effort to maintain pressure on the government of Iran," said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the White House's National Security Council.
Additional sanctions contradict an interim agreement reached by Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers, Iran's state TV said. The deal includes Iran curbing its nuclear activities in exchange for lifting some of its sanctions.
"These
actions are inconsistent with the current process of nuclear
negotiations,"
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said in remarks quoted by
the state news agency IRNA and cited by Reuters.
"At a time when the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken confidence building measures based on the agreements, as was reflected by the IAEA reports in Tehran, Iran is expecting the same actions by the U.S. and the rest of the (powers)."
"At a time when the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken confidence building measures based on the agreements, as was reflected by the IAEA reports in Tehran, Iran is expecting the same actions by the U.S. and the rest of the (powers)."
The
US insists that the new set of sanctions are consistent with the
interim agreement, explaining that they are not an expansion of the
sanctions regime, but rather extending the list of persons and
entities under types of sanctions that are currently effective.
.@StateDept today imposed sanctions on entities providing support to illicit Iranian nuclear activities. Learn more: http://go.usa.gov/mhHB
"The
United States remains committed to working with our P5+1 partners
toward a long-term, comprehensive solution that provides confidence
that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful,"
Hayden said.
US officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said more than 60 people and firms had already been targeted since the parties agreed to hold comprehensive nuclear discussions.
Apart from Iranian firms and individuals, some other foreign ones have been sanctioned by the US, such as UAE-based Goldentex FZE and Italian firm Dettin SpA.
Also on the new sanctions list is Moscow-based Iranian Asia Bank (formerly Chemeximbank), which according to the US Treasury “provided support to the Central Bank of Iran and designated Iranian banks.”
“In mid-2014, Iranian Asia Bank converted and facilitated the delivery from Moscow to Tehran of US dollar bank notes valued at over $13 million to representatives of the Iranian government,” the US Treasury statement reads.
The sanctions ban transactions with the penalized individuals or companies and freeze their US assets and property.
The talks on Iranian nuclear program between Tehran and the P5+1 powers (Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States) started in February. The sides failed to strike an interim deal in July as was initially planned. The talks have been extended to November 24.
The US suspects Iran of attempts to develop nuclear arms, while Tehran denies the allegations and says its uranium enrichment program is purely for civilian purposes.
US officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said more than 60 people and firms had already been targeted since the parties agreed to hold comprehensive nuclear discussions.
Apart from Iranian firms and individuals, some other foreign ones have been sanctioned by the US, such as UAE-based Goldentex FZE and Italian firm Dettin SpA.
Also on the new sanctions list is Moscow-based Iranian Asia Bank (formerly Chemeximbank), which according to the US Treasury “provided support to the Central Bank of Iran and designated Iranian banks.”
“In mid-2014, Iranian Asia Bank converted and facilitated the delivery from Moscow to Tehran of US dollar bank notes valued at over $13 million to representatives of the Iranian government,” the US Treasury statement reads.
The sanctions ban transactions with the penalized individuals or companies and freeze their US assets and property.
The talks on Iranian nuclear program between Tehran and the P5+1 powers (Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States) started in February. The sides failed to strike an interim deal in July as was initially planned. The talks have been extended to November 24.
The US suspects Iran of attempts to develop nuclear arms, while Tehran denies the allegations and says its uranium enrichment program is purely for civilian purposes.
‘First
shot’: Iran tests Bavar-373 system aimed to substitute Russian
S-300
Tehran
has showcased an indigenous long-range air defense system, the
Bavar-373 missile, developed as an alternative to the Russian S-300
after Moscow canceled its contract.
:
RT,
30
August, 2014
"Bavar-373
has fired a first successful shot," the commander of the Khatam
ol-Anbia Air Defense Base, Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli, told
Iranian state TV on Friday.
According
to Iranian security officials, the new system is better than the
Russian S-300, as it is able to track over 100 targets, just like the
Russian system but with a higher targeting capability.
"We
believe that 'Bavar' and '3rd of Khordad' missile shields are better
than some other long-range missile defense systems of the country,"
ol-Anbia added, Fars news reports.
Iran's
supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered the development of
the missile system, after then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
banned armed sales to the country in light of UN sanctions against
Tehran. Following the move, Iran filed a $4 billion lawsuit against
Russia in the international arbitration court in Geneva.
The
S-300 is a long-range surface-to-air missile system produced by NPO
Almaz. It is designed to be used as a defensive weapon against
aircraft and cruise missiles.
Meanwhile,
Iran’s Air Defense commander boasted that the country's defense
systems will track down all of Islamic Republic's enemies if they fly
over Iran's airspace.
“We
give a warning to the enemy’s aircraft before entering the Islamic
Republic’s airspace, and deem any kind of intruding drones or
planes of enemy a threat, and shoot it down immediately in case of
entry [into Iran],” Colonel Mahmoud Ahmadi, commander of Iran’s
southwestern Air Defense zone, Tasnim news reported.
This
follow an August 24 incident, when the country's forces shot down a
stealth drone thought to be sent from Israel. The invading “Hermes”
aircraft was intercepted by a surface-to-air missile.
Iran
has also unveiled plans to increase the number of air defense sites
from the current 3,600 to 5,000, according to Brigadier General
Farzad Esmayeeli.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani.(Reuters / Carlos Barria)
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