Iranian officials mock new US Sanctions

Iranian authorities mocked the recent blacklisting of eight Iranian senior officials by the US.

 8 Iranian officials sanctioned for human rights abuses

Speaker of the parliament, Ali Larijani announced that US plan on freezing the assets of eight Iranian officials and refusing US visas to them is a "meaningless child play in the international arena."

The US targeted eight Iranian officials for alleged human rights abuses in the widespread protests to the controversial re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last summer announcing that they have included their names in their list of sanctions.

By the order of Barack Obama, all US organizations and bodies are prohibited from having any dealings with these individuals while their assets are to be frozen and travel restrictions are also to be set against them.

Iranian Interior Minister, Mohammad Najjar, who is one of the eight people on that list, announced: "US actions with regards to human rights are highly contradictory."

"They can have my nonexistent assets wherever they are," Najjar added; "...furthermore, I never had any plans to travel to America."

Commander Ahmadreza Radan, interim commander of the security forces who is also included on the list also dismissed the US move as a "joke" saying: "Obama should have announced my balance in his announcement so that I can follow up on it after they close the account."

Iranian Welfare Minister, Sadeq Mahsoul, also mocked being blacklisted by the US saying: ""I have never applied for a US visa... these actions question America's superpower status. I also never had a single rial in an account in America," Fars news agency reports. "This is like a political joke. Even when I was working in the private sector, I never visited America."

The US move was also condemned last week by the spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry who maintained that "This move is in line with the 30 year history of US interference in Iran's internal affairs and proves that the US supports illegal acts and unrest in our country and even promotes and incites such actions."

... Payvand News - 10/03/10 ... --