“They (the enemies) have used the nuclear energy issue as a pretext to [impose] sanctions but their main concern is to prevent the progress of the Iranian nation,” Rahimi said on Sunday.
This is the reason that they have imposed the toughest sanctions against our country, he said.
Rahimi said Western powers oppose Iranian science, scientists and students but Iran will stand up to them.
On January 23, under the US pressure, the European Union (EU) foreign ministers approved new sanctions against Tehran to prevent EU member states from buying Iranian crude or doing business with the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) and to freeze Iranian assets across the union. The sanctions went into effect as of Sunday, July 1.
Washington and some of its Western allies claim Iran's nuclear energy program contains a military component.
Iran has strongly refuted the US-led allegations that Tehran may be pursuing a military approach in its nuclear energy program, arguing that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has every right to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted countless inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never pointed to any evidence of a diversion towards weaponization of its program.
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Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi says the new round of sanctions on Tehran is aimed at impeding the country’s progress.
News ID 182046
