Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the US "economic terrorism" against independent countries "deliberately" target civilians in order to realize Washington's illegitimate goals.

“US economic terrorism against Cuba, China, Russia, Syria, Iran & … deliberately target civilians, trying to achieve illegitimate political objectives through intimidation of innocent people,” the Iranian top diplomat said in a tweet on Friday.

Zarif's tweet came in reaction to an earlier tweet by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, who criticized the US’ sanctions against Iran’s maritime entities.

#US #EconomicTerrorism against Cuba, China, Russia, Syria, Iran &... deliberately target civilians, trying to achieve illegitimate political objectives through intimidation of innocent people. US rouge behavior now includes piracy, bribery & blackmail



We salute Cuba & stand w/it https://t.co/g2O3HikaAr — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 6, 2019

"We salute Cuba and stand with it," Zarif said in his tweet in appreciation of his counterpart's comments.

The United States recently imposed sanctions on an Iranian shipping network – several tankers, companies and insurance firms -- accusing it of supplying millions of barrels of oil to Syria.

The US Treasury Department announced the illegal sanctions on Wednesday on 16 entities, 10 people, including a former Iranian oil minister, and 11 vessels, as Washington continued its campaign of “maximum pressure” against Tehran and, seeking rise in tensions in the Middle East region.

According to an OFAC Advisory released by the US Treasury, the blacklisted vessels include Adrian Darya 1 (formerly Grace 1), Destiny, Happiness 1, Sinopa, Devrez, Delice, Bonita Queen (formerly Kamila), Jasmine (formerly Emma), Sarak (formerly Rise Destiny), Sobar (formerly Rise Dignity), Solan (formerly Rise Glory), and Tour 2.

'Iran slaughterhouse of enemy's sanctions'

Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami on Friday downplayed the US sanctions, saying the Islamic Republic "has turned into the slaughterhouse of the enemy's political sanctions."

"Economic sanctions have failed to keep the Iranian nation from continuing their great move [towards progress], and unlike what the enemies sought, none of our cities look like a city under global sanctions," he said in a ceremony in Bushehr, southern Iran.