Tehran denounced a fresh round of proposed United States economic measures on Thursday, calling them a breach of international law and the sovereignty of third countries. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the plan as a return to what he termed “full-scale classic colonialism.”
The Iranian objection centres on the extraterritorial reach of the sanctions, which extend penalties to companies and governments outside the United States that continue to trade with Iran. Baghaei argued that such measures punish sovereign states for lawful commercial activity and undermine the principle of non-interference.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent set out the rationale for the measures in comments to CNBC on Thursday. He said the economic pressure would likely remove the need for major American military operations against Iran, framing the tougher regime as an alternative to armed action.
The exchange follows months of friction between Washington and Tehran over shipping routes and enforcement. Earlier disputes have centred on the Strait of Hormuz, where the two governments have clashed over blockade and sanctions strategy during a prolonged standoff.
Extraterritorial, or secondary, sanctions target foreign entities that deal with a sanctioned country, threatening them with loss of access to the US financial system. Critics say the mechanism forces other nations to choose between trade with Iran and access to American markets.
Tehran has consistently rejected the legality of unilateral sanctions imposed outside the framework of the United Nations Security Council. Baghaei repeated that position, saying the measures lacked any basis in international law and violated the rights of states not party to the dispute.
Washington has maintained that its sanctions programme is a legitimate tool of national security policy. Bessent’s remarks tied the new measures directly to the goal of avoiding a wider military confrontation in the region.
The details and timing of the proposed sanctions package had not been formally published as of Thursday. Iran signalled it would raise the matter through diplomatic channels and continue to press its objections at international forums.