Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday called the threat of new U.S. sanctions a sign of desperation and said the expected new measures would not be able to break Tehran, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
Details
Describing what he called "repeated scenarios," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a video posted on Telegram: "The fact that they (U.S. leaders) have abandoned military operations... and returned to old plans shows that they are desperate."
He said Washington should engage in respectful dialogue with Iran to find a "solution based on justice and honor."
"We have never been afraid. All their actions—whether blockades or other military steps—have failed, and this new issue of theirs will also fail," he said.
Earlier
U.S. President Donald Trump warned of economic consequences for any country providing "any kind of support to Iran," while Bessent called on China to cooperate with Washington, as China buys more than 80% of Iran's oil, according to data from analytics company Kpler for 2025. China called for diplomacy.
Context
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is scheduled to hold a press conference on Monday, threatened to impose the "toughest sanctions in history" against Iran.
Iran's economy is already under enormous pressure from international sanctions, its infrastructure has repeatedly come under attack, and thousands of people have been killed in airstrikes on the Islamic Republic since the United States and Israel began attacks on February 28.
However, Tehran remains defiant after nearly six months of war and has virtually paralyzed shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, refusing to allow unauthorized oil tankers through the waterway vital to global oil supplies. The effective blockade of the strait has led to a rise in global oil prices.