"Iran is committed to the rule of law in the face of US contempt for diplomacy & legal obligations. It's imperative to counter its habit of violating int'l law," the Foreign Minister said on Twitter.
Earlier, Washington stated that it was set to impose new sanctions on Iran and urged all countries in the world, including its allies, not to buy Iranian oil and to cut all trade ties with the Middle Eastern country. This, so that its exports eventually fall to zero by November, stressing that states that fail to do so will be blacklisted by the US.
EU Foreign Affairs Council Supports Legislation to Block US Sanctions on Iran
In June, the European Commission said it had adopted an update to the Blocking Statute and the European Investment Bank's External Lending Mandate to protect the interests of EU companies investing in Iran. The Blocking Statute bans European companies from fulfilling sanctions and allows them to ignore extraterritorial judicial verdicts.
"Foreign Affairs Council #FAC: A points (decisions without debate) have been adopted, including @EUCouncil's intention not to object to the update of the blocking statute," Battu wrote on her Twitter page.
READ MORE: US Mulls Sanctions on Russia, China for Importing Iranian Oil — Mnuchin
In May, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would be withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In addition, Trump announced that the United States would be reinstating sanctions on Iran, previously lifted under the JCPOA in exchange for Tehran maintaining a peaceful nuclear program. This unilateral move has been opposed by other signatories of the JCPOA.