Iran to continue bypassing US sanctions

IRNA - Iran’s Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that Tehran will continue getting around US sanctions.

“The sanctions are cruel and illegal and we fulfill our duty for circumventing the sanctions,” SHANA quoted Zanganeh as saying on Wednesday.

He was reacting to a fresh round of sanctions enforced last Friday.“We do not recognize the sanctions,” said Zanganeh.

On Friday, Washington imposed sanctions on over 25 individuals and companies, including shipping firms, oil companies, airlines and six banks over alleged links with Iran.

The sanctions come as Iran and the six countries are in talks to reach a final agreement aimed at resolving the standoff over Tehran’s civilian nuclear work.

Both sides signed a historic interim deal in the Swiss city of Geneva in November 2013. The agreement was enforce on January 20 and expired six months later. In July, Iran and the six countries agreed to extend their negotiations until November 24 in a bid to work out a final accord.

The next round of talks between Iran and the six countries will be held in New York in September.