Iran 'suspicious' after Donald Trump's sanction vow, says threats won't alter policy

Iran on Friday criticised the continued US sanctions on its trade partners, saying that it will not alter its policy and stated that it created “deep suspicion’ about America.

Tehran’s remarks come after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose penalties on countries or individuals dealing in Iranian oil.

"The continuation of these illegal behaviours will not change Iran's logical, legitimate and international law-based positions," a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry said, AFP reported.

The statement also condemned what it called "pressure on Iran's trade and economic partners".

It added that such sanctions have created "deep suspicion and mistrust about the seriousness of America on the path of diplomacy".

Donald Trump had on Thursday vowed to enforce sanctions on Tehran and called for a global boycott of "any amount" of Iranian oil or petrochemicals.

"All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products must stop, NOW! Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The development came after Iran said that a fourth round of nuclear talks with the United States had been postponed. The talks were scheduled to be held on Saturday in Rome. Oman, which is mediating the talks between Washington and Tehran, cited ‘logistical reasons’ for the postponement. It added that a new date for the talks would be announced after the two parties agree to it.

The US-Iran nuclear talks

The United States and Iran have held three rounds of nuclear talks till now since April 12. These talks are the highest-level contact on Iran's nuclear programme since Donald Trump abandoned a nuclear accord with world powers in 2018.

The talks began after the Republican wrote to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in March, urging negotiations but with a warning: The potential of a US military action if diplomacy failed.

Trump has revived the "maximum pressure" policy of sanctions against Iran ever since he assumed office for his second term in January. The latest announcement and the targeting of seven companies accused of transporting Iranian-origin petroleum products form a part of that strategy.

Tensions over Iran's nuclear programme soared after Washington withdrew from the 2015 deal with world powers, which offered Tehran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear ambitions, in 2018. Iran adhered to the agreement for a year afterwards before beginning to roll back its compliance.

Western countries have since accused Tehran of seeking atomic weapons, an allegation it has consistently denied, insisting that its nuclear programme is for peaceful civilian purposes only.