Iran calls US sanctions on shipping line illegal

Iran on Friday condemned US sanctions on the country's largest shipping line as "illegal and unjustifiable," insisting the company never engaged in any illicit activities such as the transfer of equipment for Tehran's missile and nuclear programmes.
In the Iranian government's first reaction to the sanctions, its UN mission accused the United States of targeting "the welfare of the Iranian nation" and exerting "undue pressure on thousands of shareholders" of the shipping company with baseless allegations.
The US on Wednesday ordered the freezing of any US bank accounts or other financial assets belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, known as IRISL, and 18 related companies. Americans were also barred from doing business with the companies, and US officials said they would discourage international firms from doing business with them.