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Iranian foreign minister says US sanctions do not affect him or his family

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he has "no property or interests outside of Iran"

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif EPA-EFE/MURTAJA LATEEF

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

© EPA-EFE/MURTAJA LATEEF

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MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/. /TASS/. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that US sanctions against him do not affect him or his family.

"It has no effect on me or my family, as I have no property or interests outside of Iran," Zarif wrote on his official Twitter account. "The US' reason for designating me is that I am Iran's 'primary spokesperson around the world'," he added. "Thank you for considering me such a huge threat to your agenda," the Iranian foreign minister noted.

"We know that calling for dialog and peace is an existential threat to B-team [Zarif earlier said that it consists of US National Security Advisor John Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and crown princes of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates]," Zarif continued.

"And since reason for designating me is my words, would 'US persons' need OFAC [US Office of Foreign Assets Control] license to 'engage' with me by reading my writings or listening to interviews?" he wondered.

On Wednesday, a high-ranking representative of the US administration said Washington put Zarif on the sanctions list. This means that his assets in the US will be frozen, and US citizens and companies are banned from doing business with him.

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