Iran says possible response to new US sanctions could not be \\\'pleasant\\\'

Iran's possible response to new US sanctions could "not be pleasant", its foreign minister said last week, raising the prospect of tit-for-tat retribution against the Islamic Republic's old adversary weeks ahead of fresh nuclear talks.
Iranian leaders reacted with dismay to last week's announcement that Washington was going to penalize a number of Iranian and other foreign companies, banks and airlines for violating sanctions against Tehran, most of which are tied to a decade-old dispute about its nuclear program.
Washington said the moves were a signal that there would be no let-up of sanctions while international talks were underway to ease the economic measures in exchange for Iran's agreement to curb its nuclear activities..
Iran says its nuclear programme is for civilians ends only and denies allegations from the West that it may want to develop nuclear weapons.
On Saturday President Hassan Rouhani said the new curbs were unconstructive and against the spirit of the talks, although he added he was not pessimistic.
Last week, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told a news conference that Iran would respond to the sanctions "if deemed necessary," according to state news agency IRNA.
"We can take actions that would be unpleasant to the other side," he added.
Zarif did not elaborate on what the measures might be.
He added that the sanctions had been implemented to appease "pressure groups in the U.S. that are against any nuclear deal", using a phrase Iranian officials normally invoke to refer to Israeli interest groups.
The United States, France, Germany, Russia, China and Britain want Iran to scale back its nuclear programme. Iran says it is entirely peaceful and wants sanctions lifted quickly.
Iran and world powers - the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China - are set to resume nuclear talks in mid-September on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly Meeting in New York.
The parties failed to meet an earlier self-imposed July 20 deadline for a comprehensive accord and decided to prolong the talks until Nov 24.
Adrian Croft of Reuters adds: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif voiced optimism after talks with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Monday that a dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme can be resolved by a Nov. 24 deadline.
"I am quite optimistic after discussions with Lady Ashton that we can in fact resolve this issue in time," Zarif said after what he described as "good" talks with Ashton.
"I hope with the readiness and political will that I see in all parties to this discussion to have a resolution within the next three months," he told a news conference following separate talks with Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders.
However, he cautioned that reaching an agreement "requires political will, it requires full awareness of the need to address the issues rather than simply domestic constituencies".
Iran and global powers are working to strike a comprehensive agreement by the Nov. 24 deadline, under which Iran would curb its nuclear activities in exchange for an easing of economic sanctions that have crippled its economy.
An earlier deadline of July 20 was missed.
Western countries suspect Iran's programme is aimed at seeking the capability to build a nuclear bomb, while Tehran insists it is peaceful.
Ashton coordinates the position of the six powers negotiating with Iran - the United States, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany.
The next round of talks between the six powers and Iran is scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York later in September.
The United States last week penalised a number of Iranian and other foreign companies, banks and airlines for violating sanctions against Tehran largely tied to the decade-old dispute about its nuclear programme.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said last week the new US sanctions were against the spirit of Tehran's nuclear negotiations with world powers.
Zarif described the new sanctions as "impediments to progress" in the nuclear talks.
"Behaviour that has been exhibited by some countries, including the United States, in imposing new sanctions, has been certainly a less than positive indication for progress."
"But we are nevertheless committed to making progress and with Lady Ashton today we discussed both the time frames as well as the issues that are involved," he said.
The EU issued no statement on Zarif's talks with Ashton.