TEHRAN, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Iran summoned Australia's charge d'affaires in Tehran on Wednesday to protest Canberra's decision to impose new sanctions on Iranian officials and entities.
The director general of the Foreign Ministry's East Asia and Oceania division met with the Australian diplomat to convey Iran's strong protest against the sanctions, which he said were "illegal and unjustified."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also warned of "reciprocal measures" in response to what it labeled as Australia's "irresponsible" actions.
The Australian government announced on Tuesday it was targeting five Iranian individuals and three entities with sanctions over what it called Iran's "destabilizing behavior" in the Middle East, according to a statement from Foreign Minister Penny Wong's office.
The sanctions targeted senior officials, businesspeople, and companies associated with Iran's missile and drone programs, the statement added.
In a separate statement issued late Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the Australian sanctions. ■
