New US sanctions on ayatollah mean the end of diplomacy, Iran says

TEHRAN, June 25 (MENA) - Iran said on Tuesday that US sanctions imposed on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials in the country permanently closed the path to diplomacy between Tehran and Washington, CNBC reported.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing the sanctions on Monday, taking a dramatic and unprecedented step to increase pressure on Iran after Tehran’s downing of an American drone last week.

Washington said it would also impose sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif later this week.

"Imposing useless sanctions on Iran’s Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the commander of Iran’s diplomacy (Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif) is the permanent closure of the path of diplomacy," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Twitter.

"Trump’s desperate administration is destroying the established international mechanisms for maintaining world peace and security," Mousavi tweeted.

Iran says the US drone was flying over southern Iran.

Washington said it was downed in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.