Iran sanctions iStock Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the new US sanctions that were imposed on some Iranian industrial companies and Iranian officials.

"Unfortunately, the Americans have adopted unilateral, illegal and fruitless behavior, and are insisting on that," the Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, said, according to the Xinhua news agency.

"The Americans have sanctioned those industry sectors which are directly related to the daily life of millions of people," he added.

These sanctions further reveal US "hostile" policies towards Iran, said Mousavi, but added they are doomed to failure.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday announced the sanctions, which target eight senior Iranian officials as well as companies in the steel and other sectors.

The announcement on the sanctions comes three days after Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against US military and coalition forces in Iraq, in retaliation for the US drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad last week.

Mohsen Rezaie, a commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards who was among those sanctioned, later dismissed the US move .

“Imposing sanctions is symbolic for America and for me because this measure will have no economic impact and will not compensate for (Iran’s) missile barrage (on US targets) and will not bring respect for Washington,” tweeted Rezaie.

“It is symbolic for me ... And I am proud to be sanctioned by America,” he added.

Tags: sanctions , US-Iran