Iran not ‘worried’ of fresh US sanctions

TEHRAN: Iran is not worried about tighter sanctions planned by the United States, the Foreign Ministry in Tehran said.

“We have already prepared for these sanctions in advance and there is therefore no reason to worry,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said.

Echoing previous statements by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and other politicians, Ghassemi said the US was conducting a psychological war against Iran that is doomed to fail and “won’t be able to scare the brave people of Iran.”

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said eight jurisdictions will be granted waivers from US sanctions on Iranian oil imports, days before the US fully reimposes the sanctions on Iran that were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.

The news on the exemptions helped lower the cost of oil on global markets. The US wants to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero, but the waivers ensure this will not happen, at least in the short term.

The names of the eight countries and areas which will be granted the six-month waivers will be revealed on Monday, US officials said, when the sanctions on the oil sector are reimposed.

Washington warned it will aggressively enforce its sanctions, cautioning businesses around the world to avoid violating the measures or they will be cut out of the US financial system.