TEHRAN The Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Assefi on Sunday called a verdict issued by a U.S. federal court against Iran unlawful.

An American judge sentenced Iran last week to pay 314.6 million in compensation to the family of a priest, who was abducted in Lebanon in January 1985. He was released later. Iran was accused by the court of involvement in the incident by supporting the Hizbollah of Lebanon.

Assefi said that such complaints against Iran, based on baseless accusations, are illegal with respect to their contents.

Underlining the fact that there is political objectives behind such moves, he said that the verdict indicates influence of political circles on U.S. courts.