미국 경제압박 예고에…이란 국회의장 “부당한 제재 극복해야”

With the United States signaling its intent to further tighten sanctions on Iran, the Iranian leadership has repeatedly emphasized the necessity of sanction response and the need for a ceasefire negotiation. According to Reuters, the Iranian Deputy Speaker Mohammad Bargheer Ghalibaf stated on the same day that a plan to overcome the "unfair sanctions" was required in response to the U.S. threat of economic sanctions.

At a speech addressed to representatives of Iranian and Iraqi companies, Ghalibaf said, "One can see that the enemies are coming to steal the resources and materials of Islamic nations." Ghalibaf, in his telegram channel, stated that "a plan to overcome unfair sanctions must be drawn up." He believed that economic development and security were closely linked, and that the United States and Israel would find it difficult to win a direct military confrontation with Iran and Iraq.

He called for Iran and Iraq to strengthen economic cooperation and reduce their dependency on the dollar in bilateral trade. These remarks followed U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bennett's warning after the U.S. announced the threat of the most powerful sanctions in history against Iran. Bennett announced at a press conference on the 24th that he would reveal the details of the U.S. economic sanctions plan against Iran.

Following President Donald Trump's declaration of an "economic D-day" against Iran the day before, Bennett's firm stance on economic sanctions against Iran confirmed the signal. New York Times interpreted his statement as a signal that the United States would prioritize economic measures over military action against Iran. Iran's exiled President Masoud Pezeshkian said on the 21st that it was time for Iran to end the war with the United States.

He stated that "it is better to end the war with the United States now" and that the United States had attacked schools, hospitals, and facilities in violation of all regulations and faced global condemnation. The Iranian foreign ministry classified the U.S. sanctions expansion as "economic terrorism" and "an inhuman crime" and demanded that the perpetrators and perpetrators' backers be tried and punished.

China criticized the U.S. sanctions and pressure rhetoric. At a press conference with reporters on the 21st, Lin Zheng, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, responded to journalists' questions about Trump's threat against Iran by saying that "sanctions and pressure do not help in solving problems" and urged all relevant parties to exercise responsible measures and resolve the issue through political and diplomatic means.