French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Monday that European sanctions imposed on Iran will not be lifted until Tehran abandons its nuclear program, its ballistic missile program, and its activities that “destabilize” the region.

In a press interview, Barrot stated, “The sanctions on the Iranian regime will not be lifted until it abandons its nuclear program, its revolutionary project that destabilizes the region, and its ballistic missile program, some of which could one day be capable of targeting Europe,” and “until it grants the Iranian people the freedom to build their own future.”

Meanwhile, late Sunday night, Iran strongly condemned the recent US strikes on its territory, accusing Washington of “thwarting” all diplomatic efforts made in recent months to reduce tensions in the region, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.

The statement came shortly after the US military announced a new wave of strikes against Iran to “degrade” its ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement asserting that “these brutal attacks not only constitute a flagrant violation of the principles of the UN Charter, but also pose a serious threat to international peace and security.”

The statement added, these US attacks “have thwarted all efforts made in recent months to reduce tensions and establish peace in the West Asia region.”

Tehran accused “the US of bringing back insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting international commercial navigation through its blatant interference in Iran’s implementation of the necessary arrangements” in the strait. (AFP)