Baqaei's remarks came a day after the U.S. Treasury Department designated Paknejad and three entities engaged in Iran's oil trade in China, and named three shipping vessels as blocked property for their use in the transactions.

Baqaei said the new bans refute the repeated claims by American officials about their readiness for negotiations and show the U.S. hostility to the development, progress, and prosperity of the Iranian people.

The U.S.sanctions followed the delivery to Iran of a letter by President Donald Trump to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. 

During an interview with Fox News last week, Trump threatened military action against Tehran if it did not engage in talks on a new nuclear deal.

Baqaei said that the U.S. addiction to the policy of sanctions and pressure against independent countries violates the rule of law at the international level and poses a threat to international peace and security.

"The evil actions of the United States to disrupt Iran's economic and trade exchanges with other countries are a clear violation of the fundamental principles and rules of international law and free trade," the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran holds the U.S. government responsible for the consequences and effects of such unilateral and illegitimate actions," he said.