The United States' illegitimate sanctions will not serve their purpose because Iran will "proudly" circumvent them, President Hassan Rouhani said during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
"Although they [Americans] cause hardship to our people, they will never achieve their objectives," he was quoted as saying by his official website.
The US reimposed strict sanctions on Tehran after it unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal last May. The first round of sanctions came into effect last August before tougher restrictions on the oil and banking sectors were enacted last November.
Rouhani highlighted Washington's focus on Iran's oil export and banking relations, assuring that plans have been envisioned to thwart both attempts.
"With regard to oil sale, we are pursuing various strategies," he said.
Iran has been using methods such as storing oil at sea or selling it to private companies to continue its export despite the US ban.
Meanwhile, Washington had granted waivers to eight countries to continue their oil purchase from Iran to prevent a sudden price hike in the market.
Rouhani said given the size of its oil and gas reserves that have almost doubled thanks to new discoveries over the past 40 years, "Iran is not a country that can be eliminated from the world's energy market."
"All authorities … will try their best and will use all possible methods at their disposal to ensure [the continued] production and sale of oil, gas and condensates," he said.
Means for Financial Restriction
The US is looking for allies and is using the subject of terrorism financing for this purpose to restrict Iran's financial transactions, the president said.
"The four bills submitted by the government to the parliament are of high importance in this regard," he said, referring to the legal reforms underway to make the country comply with the standards of Financial Action Task Force, an international organization that monitors money laundering and terrorist financing worldwide.
The organization has given Iran until February to complete the reforms included in the four bills.
Rouhani hoped that the bills would be approved in time so as to "dash Washington's hopes and foil its plots".
