Iranian president accuses U.S. of savagery after new sanctions

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States on Saturday of “savagery” after Washington imposed new sanctions on Tehran, and said Iranians should direct their anger at the White House.

“The Americans have inflicted tens of millions of dollars of damage on Iran,” Rouhani said in televised remarks, his voice shaking with anger. “We haven’t such an extent of savagery … The address for Iranian people’s curses and hatred is the White House.”

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have soared since U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018 from the Iran nuclear deal struck by his predecessor and began reimposing sanctions that had been eased under the accord.

Washington imposed new sanctions on Monday on Iran’s defence ministry and others involved in its nuclear and weapons programme to support the U.S. assertion that all U.N. sanctions against Tehran are now restored.

On Thursday, Washington blacklisted several Iranian officials and entities over alleged gross violations of human rights, including imposing sanctions on a judge it said was involved in the case of an Iranian wrestler sentenced to death.