TEHRAN – The Guardian Council is honored that its members are being sanctioned by the United States, a member of the council said on Friday.

“This action of the United States is a medal of honor for members of the Guardian Council and I congratulate them,” ISNA quoted Hadi Tahaan as saying in a televised interview.

The U.S. imposed sanctions on five senior members of Iran’s Guardian Council on Thursday. Washington took the action one day before the parliamentary elections in Iran.

Tahaan said, “The United States could not hide its hatred even one day before the elections, which is Iranians’ national feast, and imposed ineffective sanctions.”

Article 99 of the constitution states that the Guardian Council “is responsible for supervising the elections of the Experts Assembly, the President of the Republic, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and referrals to the public vote and referenda.”

The sanctions have been ridiculed by the council’s secretary Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who was among the sanctioned members.

“We can’t go to the U.S. for Christmas celebrations any longer,” Ayatollah Jannati said on Friday, according to Press TV.

NA/PA