Tehran, Iran—Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, has vocally criticized new sanctions imposed by Western nations, following allegations of Tehran’s involvement in selling ballistic missiles to Russia. These sanctions, involving the United States, France, Britain, and Germany, have been met with strong disapproval from Iranian officials.

According to Namibia Press Agency, in an interview published on Saturday by Iran’s IRIB news agency, Araghchi expressed his dismay over the continued use of sanctions as a policy tool by Western countries. “The Western states should know, and it is surprising that they still do not know, that sanctions are a failed tool and they will not be able to impose their intentions on Iran, whether with regard to the nuclear issue or other ones, through sanctions,” stated Araghchi. He emphasized Iran’s determination to persist in its path with strength and resilience despite the pressures.

Araghchi also reiterated Iran’s willingness to engage in dialogue and stated that the country had never walked away from “constructive” discussions aimed at finding common ground on various issues. However, he insisted that such diplomatic efforts must be based on mutual respect, rather than threats or coercive measures.

On the same day, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, addressed the allegations directly, labeling any claims of Iran’s ballistic missile sales to Russia as “basically false.” Kanaani criticized the sanctions as counterproductive, stating they are “a path that not only fails to help resolve problems, but also is part of the problem and will be responded by Iran.”