TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned a recent decision by the European Union (EU) to extend its anti-Tehran sanctions that were in place over human rights situation in the Islamic Republic.

“Unfortunately, the European Union has proven that it has no realistic and true understanding of the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said in a statement on Wednesday.

The EU on Tuesday extended until April 2018 sanctions against Iran over alleged claims of “serious human rights violations”.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns the repetitive and improper trend of double-standard and politically-motivated approaches and instrumental use of human rights by the European Union, including the extension of unilateral sanctions under the pretext of human rights violations (in Iran), which is a failed and ineffective policy,” Qassemi noted.

The bloc has also extended by a year its travel ban and an asset freeze on 82 Iranian people and one entity, as well as a ban on exports to Iran of equipment for monitoring telecommunications and other gear that “might be used for internal repression.”

The EU imposed the restrictions on Iran for the first time in 2011.

MH/PA