US unilateral bans against Iran futile: Lawmaker

An Iranian lawmaker says the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States against Iran over its nuclear energy program have proved to be “futile.”

“If the imposition of sanctions against Iran were effective, it should have yielded results by now,” Mansour Haqiqatpour, member of Iran Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said Saturday.

He stated that the US imposition of new sanctions against Iran at a time that Tehran is negotiating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) shows that “the West is not sincere in its approach to Iran.”

“The West pursues the policy of carrot and stick on Iran’s nuclear program. On the one hand, it talks about negotiations and, on the other hand, it imposes new sanctions against Iran,” Haqiqatpour said, adding that Iran does not negotiate with anyone over its national interests.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program with Washington and the European Union using the false allegation as pretext to impose illegal unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

In the latest move, Washington on Thursday imposed fresh sanctions on seven Iranian companies and five nuclear experts for contributing to the country’s nuclear energy program. The bans prohibit all kinds of transactions by American entities with the designated Iranian firms and persons.

Iran refutes the allegation over its nuclear energy program and argues that as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, it is entitled to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.