Austrian Envoy Calls US Sanctions on Iran ‘Unjust’

Austrian Ambassador to Iran Stefan Scholz on Sunday deplored the economic sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic by the US government as “unjust”.

Speaking at a Sunday meeting with the governor of the northern province of Semnan, Scholz pointed to potentials that should be tapped to boost bilateral relations between Iran and Austria and said the Islamic Republic has countless capacities which are not confined to the capital, Tehran.

He further described the US sanctions against Iran as unjust and said despite the embargoes, Austria is still active in the Iranian market.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani paid an official visit to Vienna last July and held meetings with the president and chancellor of Austria.

During the trip, senior officials of the two countries signed four agreements to boost mutual cooperation.

The Austrian envoy’s remarks on Sunday came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US with Washington imposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Since then, the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.

Iranian officials, however, have dismissed such moves as psychological warfare, saying the country has its own ways of circumventing the American bans and selling crude oil.

Tasnim News Agency