TEHRAN - Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, has openly questioned the impact of imposing sanctions on the advancement of Iran, China, and Russia, suggesting they have been largely ineffective.

"Sanctions really are not having value unless you want to negotiate removing sanctions to get better behavior," Paul remarked during an address to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Paul advocated for a shift from sanctions to diplomacy, emphasizing that Washington should prioritize diplomatic interactions over the imposition of further sanctions.

Contrasting Paul's stance, Blinken acknowledged during a Senate hearing on Tuesday evening that since President Joe Biden took office, Washington has imposed more than 600 sanctions against Iranian individuals and institutions. 

Despite these measures, Blinken conceded that the U.S. has struggled to curb Iran's financial activities, particularly its oil sales.