TEHRAN – Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi has commented on the new U.S. sanctions on some Iranian financial, insurance, and shipping companies, describing the move as “childish.”

“These sanctions are the West’s childish method against Iran. They think that they can force Iran to soften its stance at talks in Istanbul by taking such actions,” Boroujerdi said on Thursday.
According to the Press TV, the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday singled out five firms it accuses of involvement in Iran’s nuclear program, including two banks, an insurance company and a local shipping line.
The latest round of sanctions has come just ahead of talks between Iran and the 5+1 group (five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) in Istanbul in January.
“Iran believes in negotiation as a logical solution, but the Americans can not achieve their goals through negotiation and a resort to the childish method of imposing sanctions,” Boroujerdi noted.
They think they can force Iran to shift its policy through imposition of sanctions, but it is a “totally wrong analysis,” he stated.
He said it is clear that Iran will only negotiate based on the “package of proposals” that it has already presented to the 5+1 group.
Iran’s package of proposals addresses a number of international issues such as nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
Iranian officials have made it clear that they will not negotiate with the major powers on its nuclear program, but are ready to hold talks with the powers on global issues facing the international community.