TEHRAN: Iran on Thurs­day criticised the United Sta­tes for imposing new san­ctions on the Islamic republic, saying it shows the Ame­ricans harbour bad inte­ntions towards its people.

The US Treasury announced on Wednesday the measures targeting several entities it accused of involvement in procuring supplies for Iran’s ballistic missile programme.

“This move is another sign of the US government’s ill will towards the Iranian people,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement. The step proves “the current US administration, contrary to its claim, uses every opportunity to make baseless accusations and put pressure on the Iranian people”, he added.

The US said the new sanctions target Iranian national Mohammad Ali Hosseini and his “network of companies” as suppliers of the ballistic programme. The move followed an Iranian missile attack on Arbil, Iraq, on March 13, an attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on a Saudi oil facility and other recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Iran had claimed responsibility for the Arbil missile strikes, saying they targeted an Israeli “strategic centre”, and warning of more such attacks.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2022