Iran has called the latest US sanctions 'useless' (Image: GETTY)
Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said America’s decision to impose sanctions on the country's supreme leader and other top officials permanently closed the path to diplomacy between them and Washington. Mr Mousavi said: “Imposing useless sanctions on Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the commander of Iran's diplomacy, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is the permanent closure of the path of diplomacy. Trump's desperate administration is destroying the established international mechanisms for maintaining world peace and security.”
US President Donald Trump targeted Khamenei and other top Iranian officials with sanctions on Monday, taking an unprecedented step to increase pressure on Iran after Tehran’s downing of an unmanned American drone.
With tensions running high between the two countries, Trump signed an executive order imposing the sanctions, which US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said would lock billions of dollars more in Iranian assets.
Trump said Khamenei was ultimately responsible for what he called “the hostile conduct of the regime” in the Middle East.
He added the sanctions “will deny the Supreme Leader and the Supreme Leader’s office, and those closely
