Iran Slams New US Sanctions as Attack on Sovereignty

Iran has strongly condemned the United States’ announcement of new economic sanctions against Tehran, saying the measures go beyond economic pressure and challenge the sovereignty of other countries.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement on X on Saturday, “The United States’ declaration of new economic sanctions on Iran is far more than continued unlawful ‘economic warfare’ against a single country. It is an assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent Member State of the United Nations.”

“No State may lawfully compel foreign banks, enterprises, or airports – each subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of its own sovereign – to renounce lawful commerce with a third State,” he added.

Baghaei said secondary sanctions have no basis in international law and violate the principle of sovereign equality under Article 2(1) of the UN Charter.

“Such secondary sanctions find no foundation in international law. They violate the principle of sovereign equality enshrined in Article 2(1) of the UN Charter and breach the customary prohibition on intervention affirmed by the International Court of Justice in the Nicaragua case. Economic coercion designed to force a sovereign State to alter its lawful policy choices constitutes an outright internationally wrongful act.”

The statement came after US President Donald Trump announced new economic measures against Iran on Wednesday and warned that countries continuing economic ties with Tehran could face consequences.

Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he was announcing “the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country!”

He also warned that countries allowing their financial institutions, businesses, airports or government entities to provide any type of support to Iran would face what he called tremendous economic consequences.

Iran Warns of Wider Impact

Baghaei said the US threats against third countries were accompanied by what he described as an illegal naval blockade against Iranian vessels and ports.

He said the blockade itself amounts to “military aggression,” while the economic campaign could undermine the sovereignty of other states.

The Iranian spokesman described the situation as “a recipe for an abysmal return to full-scale classic colonialism.”

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also criticized Trump’s announcement, saying the latest pressure campaign would fail like previous US efforts against Iran over the past 14 years.