US Sanctions on Iran Called 'State Terrorism' As Supreme Leader Bans Acts Harming 'Social Cohesion' Amid Concern

With the war now at the six-month mark and negotiations at an impasse, President Donald Trump's administration has stepped up efforts to cripple Iran financially with what it has billed an economic D-Day. The sanctions drive compounds the toll of the war on Iran's economy, where annual inflation hit 66 per cent last month. The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz remains the conflict's biggest unresolved flashpoint.

Washington has warned countries to cut their business ties with Iran or face secondary sanctions, though the Treasury Department stopped short of actually imposing penalties. Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that all countries were obligated under international law to refrain from implementing US sanctions against Tehran, adding that participation in them amounted to complicity in imposing one state's unlawful will on independent states. It branded the new US measures a "crime against humanity" that put the health and livelihood of millions of civilians at serious risk, and called on other nations and United Nations bodies to uphold the rule of law. Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader has issued a ban on acts that could harm "social cohesion" amid concern over the economic strain and public discontent.