Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 18
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Dec. 18 that Washington's new sanctions against companies and individuals don't contradict the Geneva deal, the Mehr News Agency reported.
"Putting the name of some individuals and companies on the blacklist is part of the previous sanctions, and not a new one," Zarif said.
He made the remarks in a live TV interview on the activities of Iran's Foreign Ministry since the new administration took office.
Iran's foreign minister further said that the most significant diplomatic achievement of the new administration is the collapse of the Iranophobia campaign conducted by the country's enemies.
Zarif said the preliminary deal between Iran and the P5+1 group symbolizes the collapse of the Iranophobia campaign.
He also noted that nearly 67 percent of U.S. citizens believe that the dispute over Iran's nuclear energy program can be solved through negotiations, but the White House is under pressure from certain internal groups, which are trying to derail the negotiations.
The Iranian minister also said the pressure led to the U.S. Treasury Department adding some companies and individuals to its sanctions list for allegedly supporting Iran's nuclear program.
He added that Tehran has made it clear that such acts can never help the efforts to build confidence with Iran.