MNA – The United States ambassador to Germany Richard A. Grenell has criticized the launch of the INSTEX trade mechanism by European major powers for trade with Iran, saying the channel is 'disrespectful' to US policies.

The US Ambassador Richard A. Grenell made the remarks in an interview published on February 10 in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, during which he described the newly unveiled EU trade mechanism to help Iran avoid US sanctions, namely INSTEX, as counterproductive to the United States policies.

The US diplomat went on to claim that the US administration policy is to impose the ‘strongest possible sanctions’ on Iran, while at the same time keeping the doors open for negotiations in order to to change Iran's behavior.

The foreign ministers of three European major countries of France, Germany and the United Kingdom on Thursday January 31 announced the launch of INSTEX (Instrument for Supporting Trade Exchanges), a Special Purpose Vehicle to faclitate 'legitimate trade' between the European economic companies and Iran.