Zarif says short war with Iran an "illusion"

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif referred to the US sanctions as war, saying short war against Iran is just an illusion.

"Misconceptions endanger peace @realDonaldTrump:

- Sanctions aren't alternative to war; they ARE war

- "Obliteration"=genocide=war crime

- "Short war" with Iran is an illusion

- Whoever begins war will not be the one ending it

- Negotiations and threats are mutually exclusive," Zarif wrote in his Twitter account on Thursday.

Earlier, Zarif described the US anti-Iran measures as "confrontational and provocative", saying Washington's new sanctions on office of the Leader was insult to the "entire Iranian nation."

" …, the imposition of sanctions on Iranian leadership has been an additional insult by the United States against the entire Iranian nation," Zarif told a CNN international correspondent.

Three days ago, the US president Donald Trump announced sanctions on the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's office and several other senior Iranian officials.

The US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that Foreign Minister Zarif would be targeted with the US sanctions later this week.

As Zarif told CNN on Wednesday, the "US intentions are certainly illegal, the United States is not in the position to obliterate Iran, they do not have a capability other than using prohibited weapons to do this".

"The Iranian people are people to resist any aggression, but we're not seeking war, we don't seek war, we do not seek a confrontation."

"The actions by the United States" in the "past few weeks have been confrontational and provocative.

"Iran has been implementing its rights under the nuclear deal and under the Security Council Resolution 2231."

And at the end of his remarks, Zarif said, "I think President Trump should be remembered that we don't live in the 18th century, there is a United Nations Charter and threat of war is illegal."

IRNA