IRNA � Iran's former foreign minister said the US is targeting people with the sanctions, contrary to its claims that the government is intended.

Kamal Kharrazi who is also head of Iran's Strategic Council of Foregin Relations in an exclusive interview with the French broadcast France24 said that the US has sanctioned Iranian women and children, and there is 'no choice but to resist'.

He said that Iran has remained in the deal it signed with the European and other major world powers despite the US unilateral withdrawal from the deal.

Commenting on the recent alleged links between Iran and terrorist attacks in Europe, the senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader described it as a plot drawn up by enemies of Iran-Europe relations.

About Iranian forces' presence in Syria and Iraq after the defeat of terrorist groups, he said that the issue is a matter of security of Iran and status quo of the region.

The reasons of Iran's presence in the two countries were first of all the invitation by them, and then to support the status quo as well as Iran's security.

He rejected the idea that Iran's support for Lebanese Hezbollah can be a threat to the Zionist regime, since 'Hezbollah is defending territories of Lebanon'.

Hezbollah was the party that pushed occupying Israelis out of Lebanon, Kharrazi said reserving the right for Hezbollah to oppose occupation and to fight occupiers.

The Iranian official also criticized European countries for keeping on their arms sales to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates ending up for killing Yemeni women and children and destruction of the entire country.

He said that Saudi Arabia's alleged plot against Iranian officials is not a new issue rather a typical 'mentality' of Saudis.

'Always Saudi Arabia has been supporting terrorism and supporting those who have been trying to kill Iranians.'

The New York Times on Sunday reported that sources close to the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman say Riyadh had been plotting to kill senior Iranian officials.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif in a recent interview confirmed that there had been credible evidence to prove the allegations.