TEHRAN - Presidential chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi said on Monday that EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s criticism of Washington’s policy of sanctions shows that even the United States’ allies have become frustrated by sanctions.

“The foreign policy chief’s protest over the United States’ use of economic sanctions shows that even the United States’ allies are frustrated by this country’s addiction to sanctions,” Vaezi said in a tweet.

“Policy of sanctions is an inhuman, cruel and rotten policy and must be stopped. This is not just Iran’s view.”He also said, “Policy of sanctions is an inhuman, cruel and rotten policy and must be stopped. This is not just Iran’s view.”

Borrell said on Friday that the European Union opposes the United States’ policy of sanctions.

According to Malay Mail daily, Borrell pointed to sanctions on Iran, Cuba and the International Criminal Court, saying the EU opposed the U.S. policy of enforcing its measures against companies and individuals around the world.

“I am deeply concerned at the growing use of sanctions, or the threat of sanctions, by the United States against European companies and interests,” Borrell said in a statement.

He said Washington’s secondary sanctions on those doing business with its foes was hitting European companies carrying out “legitimate business.”

“Where common foreign and security policy goals are shared, there is great value in the coordination of targeted sanctions with partners. Where policy differences exist, the European Union is always open to dialogue. But this cannot take place against the threat of sanctions,” he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump quit the nuclear deal in May 2018 and introduced the harshest ever sanctions in history on Iran as part of his administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran.

Under the JCPOA, Iran was obliged to put limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for termination of economic and financial sanctions.

The U.S. has threatened to punish any company that do business with Iran.

NA/PA