The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry rapped the new sanctions the US Treasury Department has imposed on a number of natural and legal persons engaged in Iran’s oil and gas industry and also on people in connection with the country’s peaceful nuclear program.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Esmaeil Baqaei denounced the US’ policy of imposition of sanctions as a clear sign of the American policy makers’ hostile attitude toward the Iranian people and their ignorance of the rule of law and human rights.

“The US administrations’ structural addiction to economic sanctions against the developing countries as an instrument for intimidation and political pressures violates the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law,” he said.

Baqaei added the US sanctions undermine the foundations of the rule of law and free trade, violate the basic human rights of the people in the target countries, and amount to crimes against humanity.

The sanctions against Iran’s economic and trade sectors are bullying and illegal measures that are in direct contradiction to the US’ claim to be pursuing dialogue and negotiations and also indicate the US’ lack of goodwill and seriousness, he stated.

The spokesman held the US internationally accountable for imposing unilateral sanctions against the Iranian nation, saying Washington is held culpable for the egregious violations of human rights in the wake of its criminal measures.

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on April 22 designated Iranian national Seyed Asadollah Emamjomeh and his corporate network for their alleged role in shipping Iranian liquified petroleum gas (LPG) and crude oil to foreign markets.

The US has also designated Iranian national Meisam Emamjomeh.

The new sanctions are the seventh such action taken by the US government against Iran since February 4, when US President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum ordering a campaign of maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic.

The sanctions come despite the fact that Iran and the US have held two rounds of talks to settle disputes about Tehran’s nuclear program. The indirect talks started earlier this month in Oman’s capital, Muscat, and continued over the weekend in Italy’s Rome.

Top representatives from Iran and the US are scheduled to meet again on Saturday in Muscat to review technical negotiations between their experts that will start on Wednesday in Rome.