Iran vows retaliation over US sanctions

Iran has said that a decision by the United States, to impose sanctions on the head of its judiciary “crossed a red line”, and has vowed to retaliate.

US president Donald Trump yesterday declared he would extend the controversial Iran nuclear deal for another year, adding that he was giving Europe and the US a last chance to address the “terrible flaws” in the 2015 agreement.

However on Friday, the US imposed sanctions on 14 individuals and entities, including Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, the head of the judiciary, with the treasury department arguing that Larijani was responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing the commission of serious human rights abuses against Iranians.

He was among those calling for a crackdown following a recent spate of anti-government protests across Iran.

"The Trump regime's hostile action….crossed all red lines of conduct in the international community and is a violation of international law and will surely be answered by a serious reaction of the Islamic Republic," the Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement.

It added that Trump had continued to “take hostile measures against the Iranian people and repeating the threats that have failed many times”.