Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei sharply criticized Washington’s measures to implement newly imposed sanctions against Iran, saying US policy toward Tehran had become “a farce.” In a post on X on Wednesday, made two days after the United States announced the new sanctions, Baghaei condemned the steps as further pressure on a country already under sanctions.

Baghaei said Washington was now focusing on Bahrain, which he said has virtually no significant economic transactions with Iran. He argued that this showed the effectiveness of what he described as the US “coalition.” He also said the United States was seeking to halt sporting and educational exchange activities with Iran that, according to him, had already been effectively suspended for years.

Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the new round of sanctions against Iran. Washington has named the campaign “Operation Economic Outcast.” Bessent said the operation would target Iran’s financial networks worldwide and warned that countries and institutions maintaining commercial ties with Tehran could face secondary sanctions.