ROUHANI SAYS 'CHILDISH' OF U.S. TO SANCTION IRAN FOREIGN MINISTER ZARIF
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Washington has previously proposed unconditional talks with Tehran. "They (Americans) are resorting to childish behavior... They were claiming every day 'We want to talk, with no preconditions' ...and then they sanction the foreign minister," Rouhani said in remarks carried live on state television. "This means they have lost the power of rational thought." Zarif, a critical figure in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, dismissed the action and said it would not affect him. U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the deal last year and ramped up sanctions to put pressure on Iran's economy. The move dismantled part of President Barack Obama's legacy and upset U.S. allies who were party to the agreement, which was designed to restrict Tehran's pathway to a nuclear bomb in exchange for sanctions relief. Strains between Washington