Iran\u2019s foreign ministry on Wednesday condemned new US sanctions targeting its fuel network, calling the move a sign of Washington\u2019s \u201chostile approach\u201d ahead of a third round of nuclear talks. In a statement, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Washington\u2019s policy of imposing sanctions on the Iranian people was a \u201cclear contradiction with the United States\u2019 demand for dialogue and negotiation and indicates America\u2019s lack of goodwill and seriousness in this regard\u201d. On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on an Iranian shipping network and an individual named Asadoollah Emamjomeh, who Washington says is the network\u2019s owner. It said in a statement that the network was \u201ccollectively responsible for shipping hundreds of millions of dollars\u2019 worth of Iranian LPG and crude oil to foreign markets\u201d. \u201cEmamjomeh and his network sought to export thousands of shipments of LPG \u2014 including from the United States \u2014 to evade US sanctions and generate revenue for Iran,\u201d said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. \u201cThe United States remains committed to holding accountable those who seek to provide the Iranian regime with the funding it needs to further its destabilising activities in the region and around the world.\u201d The sanctions came after Tehran and Washington held two rounds of indirect nuclear talks on consecutive Saturdays in Muscat and Rome, starting on April 12. Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has reimposed sweeping sanctions under his policy of \u201cmaximum pressure\u201d against Tehran. In March, he sent a letter to Iran\u2019s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for talks but also warning of possible military action if they failed to produce a deal. Oman said the third round of talks, set for Saturday, April 26, would again be held in Muscat. On Tuesday, Iran announced that a technical expert-level nuclear meeting between the two countries will also be held on Saturday. \u201cThe expert and high-level indirect talks in Oman will not be held simultaneously,\u201d state TV reported on Wednesday. \u201cIranian and American experts will first hold their indirect talks and convey the results of the talks to the high-level officials, who will then start their discussions,\u201d the report said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are leading the negotiations, with Oman mediating. After last Saturday\u2019s Rome talks, Araghchi said the meeting was \u201cgood\u201d and that the negotiations were \u201cmoving forward\u201d. On Monday, Trump said Washington had \u201cvery good meetings\u201d on Iran. Araghchi was in Beijing on Wednesday for talks ahead of Saturday\u2019s meeting. China is Iran\u2019s largest commercial partner and the main buyer of its oil. Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons \u2014 an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its programme is for peaceful civilian purposes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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