Iran said today that new sanctions imposed on it by the European Union could hurt diplomatic efforts to resolve a long-running row over Tehran's disputed nuclear ambitions.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini condemned the latest sanctions, agreed by the 27-nation bloc yesterday, as "illegal" and suggested they would only serve to strengthen Iran's determination to pursue nuclear technology.
Western powers suspect Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil exporter, wants to make nuclear arms but Tehran denies this.
The new EU sanctions include an asset freeze on Iran's biggest bank, Bank Melli, following the country's refusal to meet demands to curb its nuclear programme.
"Such illegal and paradoxical behaviour .... is meaningless and is strongly condemned," the semi-official Fars News Agency quoted Hosseini as saying.
Mr Hosseini said it would strengthen Iranian determination "to establish their obvious rights and will not help to create an appropriate atmosphere to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels."
He was referring to separate proposals put forward by Iran and by six world powers intended to defuse a dispute that has sparked fears of military confrontation and helped push up oil prices to record highs.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on June 14th handed Iran an offer of trade and other benefits by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France to try to convince it to halt sensitive nuclear enrichment.
Iranian officials have repeatedly ruled out suspending uranium enrichment, which can have both civilian and military uses.
Their refusal to do so has drawn three rounds of limited United Nations sanctions since 2006 and Western powers have warned of more punitive measures if Iran rejects the latest offer.
The Islamic Republic has put forward its own package of proposals aimed at resolving the row, but diplomats say it ignores global concern about its enrichment programme.
The new EU sanctions will target businesses and individuals the West alleges are linked to its nuclear and ballistic programmes.
The United States, which has also imposed sanctions on Iran beyond the UN resolutions, says it is focusing on diplomatic pressure to thwart Tehran's nuclear plans but has not ruled out military action as a last resort.