Tehran - Iran's foreign minister condemned the US Senate's extension of a piece of anti-Iran legislation, state TV reported on Saturday.
The Senate on Thursday voted to extend the Iran Sanctions Act by 10 years. The measure will now be sent to outgoing President Barack Obama to sign. Iran's state television quoted Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying that the extension "shows the lack of credibility of the US government."
Bahram Ghasemi, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, on Friday issued a statement condemning the extension of sanctions against Iran and said the act was a clear violation of the landmark nuclear deal reached between Iran and the world powers last year.
Ghasemi said, "The US president has agreed within the framework of the nuclear deal that he would use his authority to prevent the legislation and enforcement of any measures in violation of the deal, such as the recent act by the Congress."
The nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers lifted a variety of international sanctions in exchange for limitations on the Iranian nuclear programme. However the US still maintains its own separate set of sanctions, which are set to expire on December 31 if they are not extended.