An Iranian official commented on an expected package of United States sanctions on August 24, 2026, describing the measures as a continuation of established U.S. foreign policy. In a statement reported by Al Jazeera, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the new sanctions were like watching the “same movie playing over and over again.”
The comments were made ahead of the anticipated official announcement of the new U.S. sanctions package. According to the report, Araghchi also referred to the U.S. approach as “bullying” and stated it was consistent with the policies of previous U.S. administrations. Details of the specific individuals or entities to be targeted by the new sanctions were not available at the time of the statement.
The United States has implemented various economic sanctions against Iran for decades, with measures intensifying in recent years. These actions have targeted critical sectors of Iran’s economy, including its oil, banking, and shipping industries. The stated purpose of these sanctions, according to U.S. officials across multiple administrations, is to counter Iran’s nuclear program, limit its ballistic missile development, and address its role in regional conflicts.
A key element in the recent history of sanctions has been the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement reached in 2015 between Iran and a group of world powers, including the United States. The agreement lifted many international sanctions on Iran in exchange for verifiable limits on its nuclear program.
In 2018, the United States withdrew from the JCPOA and began to reimpose and expand its sanctions, a policy often referred to as “maximum pressure.” In response, the Iranian government has consistently described the sanctions as illegal under international law and a form of economic warfare. Diplomatic efforts by other signatories to the JCPOA to revive the agreement have been ongoing with varying degrees of progress. The Iranian government maintains that any return to the agreement is contingent upon the removal of U.S. sanctions.
