TEHRAN – Iran has strongly criticized the latest round of US sanctions targeting figures and companies allegedly involved in the country’s oil trade, calling the move a violation of international law and an attack on the well-being of the Iranian people.

In a statement on Tuesday night, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei denounced the sanctions, which were imposed on more than 30 individuals, tanker operators, and shipping companies linked to Iranian petroleum sales. He argued that such measures undermine Iran’s national sovereignty and disrupt its legal economic interactions with other nations.  

"The right to engage in economic and commercial relations is a fundamental principle of national self-determination, and no country has the authority to use political justifications to obstruct these legitimate activities," Baqaei stated.  

He further emphasized that the latest sanctions violate the United Nations Charter, particularly its principles of national sovereignty and self-determination. "These actions are illegal, unjustified, and a blatant infringement on the human rights of the Iranian people," he said, calling for international accountability against the U.S. government.  

Baqaei also dismissed claims by U.S. officials that they seek dialogue with Iran, pointing to the sanctions as clear evidence of Washington’s duplicity. "This latest move demonstrates their insincerity and their hostility toward the well-being, development, and happiness of the great Iranian people," he added.  

Despite mounting economic pressure, Iran remains resilient. "The Iranian nation, fully aware of the United States’s long-standing policies of intervention and broken commitments, will continue its path toward progress, dignity, and independence," Baqaei asserted.  

The new sanctions, announced by the U.S. Treasury and State Department on Monday, specifically target senior officials from Iran’s National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the Iranian Oil Terminals Company, accusing them of facilitating oil sales. This marks the second wave of restrictions aimed at curbing Iran’s crude exports under the so-called National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, originally issued by former President Donald Trump to reduce Iran’s oil revenues to zero.  

Iran has faced economic sanctions for years, primarily under the pretext of concerns over its nuclear program and other geopolitical disputes. However, tensions escalated significantly under the Trump administration, which reinstated the "maximum pressure" campaign—an aggressive strategy designed to cripple Iran’s economy through sanctions and diplomatic isolation.