TEHRAN, March 31, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Iran on Thursday criticised a decision
by the United States to impose new sanctions on the Islamic republic, saying
it shows the Americans have bad intentions towards its people.

   The US Treasury announced on Wednesday the newly imposed sanctions
targeting several entities it accused of involvement in procuring supplies
for Iran's ballistic missile programme.

   "This move is another sign of the US government's ill will towards the
Iranian people," Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in
a statement.

   The step proves "the current US administration, contrary to its claim,
uses every opportunity to make baseless accusations and put pressure on the
Iranian people," he added.

   The United States said the new sanctions target Iranian national Mohammad
Ali Hosseini and his "network of companies" as suppliers of the ballistic
programme.

   The move followed an Iranian missile attack on Arbil, Iraq on March 13 and
an "Iranian enabled" attack by Yemen's Huthi rebels on a Saudi oil facility
on Friday, as well as other attacks by "Iranian proxies" on Saudi Arabia and
the UAE.

   Iran had claimed responsibility for the March 13 missile strikes, saying
they targeted an Israeli "strategic centre", and warning of more such
attacks.

   The sanctions come at a time when the United States seems close to an
agreement with Iran on its return to the 2015 nuclear deal.

   The accord gave Iran much-needed sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on
its nuclear programme that would guarantee it could not develop a nuclear
weapon -- something the Islamic republic has always denied seeking.

   But it fell apart in 2018, when then-president Donald Trump withdrew the
United States and reimposed biting economic sanctions.

   Iran, in response, began rolling back on most of its commitments under the
accord.

   "The US, while claiming it is ready to return to the full implementation
of its obligations under the nuclear agreement, continues to fundamentally
violate it and UN Security Council Resolution 2231," Khatibzadeh said.

   Indirect negotiations between the arch-rivals, which have been underway in
Vienna for nearly a year, have overcome most disagreements but outstanding
issues remain.

   Among them is a demand by Iran that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,
which carried out the attack on Arbil, be removed from a US terror blacklist.