Zarif: The United States' Addiction to Sanctions Has Spiraled Out of Control

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif described the new U.S. sanctions against twenty Iranian companies and economic entities linked to the 'Basij Cooperative Foundation' as a sign of Washington's 'addiction' to sanctions. On Wednesday, October 25, Zarif tweeted: 'The United States' addiction to imposing sanctions has spiraled out of control.' He then questioned the connection of the sanctioned entities to the Basij organization mentioned by the U.S., stating: 'An Iranian private bank, which plays a key role in importing food and medicine, has been sanctioned due to claims of links to an illegal target, through eight intermediaries.' Zarif added: 'In comparison, all people on Earth are connected through six intermediaries. Now you do the math.' Zarif's reference is to the 'six degrees of separation' theory proposed in the early 20th century. The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday targeted several important Iranian institutions and entities it believes fund the Basij paramilitary force. Among these institutions are Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company, Isfahan Mobarakeh Steel Company, Bank Mellat, Parsian Bank, Mehr Economy Bank, and Iran Zinc Mines Development Company. Some of these entities, such as Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company, are considered the largest in the Middle East and Africa. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also reacted to the sanctions on Wednesday, describing them as 'an outright insult by the United States to legal and international mechanisms' and 'stemming from the selfishness and blind animosity of the U.S. government towards the Iranian nation.' According to him, the U.S. sanctions on Tuesday are 'part of the war and psychological pressure' this country exerts on Tehran and contradict 'the hypocritical claims and statements' of the U.S. government in support of the Iranian people. The spokesperson noted that the U.S. has prevented these entities from 'benefiting from foreign economic relations and economic and trade connections with the international community' and is threatening their interests in a 'cruel and unjust manner, contrary to international law and human rights.' Bahram Qasemi, in his remarks, referred to the recent International Court of Justice ruling regarding Iran's lawsuit against the U.S. and stated that 'the International Court of Justice has asked the U.S. to refrain from taking any action that would escalate or broaden the dispute, [but] the behaviors and approach the U.S. government has taken and its non-compliance with mechanisms, rules, and international law threaten not only the interests of the Iranian people but also global stability and security.' The International Court of Justice in The Hague issued a provisional ruling on October 11, stating that the United States must ensure that its unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic do not negatively affect essential goods or the safety of passenger flights. The U.S. has protested this ruling and emphasized that the Hague Court lacks the necessary jurisdiction to address this case. Iran's lawsuit pertains to U.S. sanctions against Tehran that began after the U.S. withdrew from the nuclear agreement. The U.S. claims it has imposed these sanctions to protect its national security.