"We certainly condemn the US administration's move to impose sanctions against the foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is unprecedented pressure, which should not be a part of modern international relations," Ryabkov said at a briefing.
The sanctions on the foreign minister came on July 31, a few weeks after his visit to the US to attend a UN meeting. Although Zarif was permitted to be in only three buildings while in New York, he held several interviews with western media, elaborating on Iran's foreign policy and US cruel sanctions on Iran.
Furthermore, the sanctions came only hours after Tehran ridiculed the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's claim on his readiness to visit Tehran and speaking to Iranian people as a hypocritical gesture.
Meanwhile, the European Union said Thursday it regrets the US decision to impose sanctions against Iran’s foreign minister and vowed to continue working with him.
The relations between the US and Iran have remained tense following Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and re-imposing of economic sanctions against the country. Tehran responded by saying that it would suspend some of its obligations under the deal.
ZZ/SPUTNIK