The latest U.S. sanctions on Iran are seen by some Iranian experts as a serious impediment to nuclear talks.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Wednesday announced massive sanctions against more than 50 individuals and entities and over 50 vessels allegedly linked to an Iranian oil-shipping network. It is the largest Iran-related sanctions package since 2018.
The move follows recent military clashes between Iran, Israel and the U.S., threatening to derail renewed regional diplomacy.
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the sanctions, calling them hostile and counterproductive. Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the measures violate international law and are intended to provoke instability and obstruct Iran's national development.
Analysts say the move reflects Washington's persistent unilateralism, undermining multilateral norms at a delicate diplomatic moment.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has made it clear from the beginning: it only negotiates with parties that demonstrate genuine goodwill. And in Iran's view, that goodwill has not been proven," said Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei, a member of Iran's Guardian Council and a full professor of law at Tehran University.
The new sanctions come just weeks after indirect nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran in Oman, as well as separate discussions with European powers in Türkiye.
Officials in Tehran argue that Washington's approach relies more on coercion than compromise, casting doubt on the sincerity of future negotiations between the two sides.
Sharing the officials' perspective, Hossein Raghfar, a professor of economics at Alzahra University, argued that more pressure reinforces Iran's belief that negotiations alone are insufficient.
"These pressures make Iran more determined in its belief that negotiations are not the final solution. Instead, the country must strengthen its defensive capabilities," he said.
New U.S. sanctions threaten to derail Iran nuclear talks: experts
New U.S. sanctions threaten to derail Iran nuclear talks: experts
New U.S. sanctions threaten to derail Iran nuclear talks: experts
