Iran condemns new US sanctions

Boroujerdi further said that Iran will take necessary measures to counteract the sanctions bill.

The motion is going to be discussed by the lawmakers on July 2, after the parliament's recess, Kamal Dehqan, vice chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, told Tasnim.

Ghasemi affirmed that approval of new non-nuclear sanctions in the Senate Foreign Relations and Banking Committee, bearing in mind the history of the body, was not unexpected.

The US Senate voted overwhelmingly on Thursday for a bill that would punish Iran for its ballistic missile activity, its human rights record and support for proxy terrorist organizations worldwide - its first legislative attack against the Islamic Republic since a landmark nuclear deal was reached among world powers and its government two years ago.

Officials have said the sanctions violate the spirit and content of the worldwide nuclear agreement signed between Iran and great powers.

"The passing of new sanctions is in line with the intrinsic animosity of United States toward Iran", said Bahram Ghasemi, the Spokesperson of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

The resolution calls upon Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles created to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology". He asserted that Iranian armed forces will bravely defend the security and interests of their country and such measures would be the least effective upon them.

Democratic Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer of NY - a key backer of the legislation - said the sanctions "will specifically target problematic areas that were not part of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement".

"It would also commit the USA secretary of state to identify individuals responsible for certain human rights abuses within Iran and authorize, but not require, the U.S. president to slap financial sanctions and a travel ban against those designated for human rights abuses".

"The Iranian committee tasked with monitoring the accord will certainly examine the congressional move and come up with a decent response".

The senate legislation also includes fresh sanctions on Russian Federation.