Sputnik - Anastasia Dmitrieva - Iraq does not condone the US "very hurting" restrictions against Iran, "sanctions for political reasons," Iraqi Oil Minister Thamir Ghadhban told Sputnik in an interview.

"The US policy towards Iran is well-known. We don�t really condone it, sanctions for political reasons ... Sanctions hurt people more than governments ... people of any country whether in Iran or others, when they are subjected to economic sanctions, especially on the source that generates revenues substantially and significantly � this is very hurting. I don�t think any human being would like to see other people suffer because of political differences", the minister said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Ghadhban pointed out that Iraq had been under UN sanctions for over a decade "and it was terrible".

The statement has come amid the SPIEF that began on 6 June and will last through 8 June. Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency is an official media partner of the forum.
The United States said last year it was withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Iran and reimposing sanctions. The restrictions returned in two phases, with sanctions on Iran's oil trade going into force in November. The United States initially granted several countries waivers to keep importing Iranian oil, but this spring, the White House decided to end the exemptions.