DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran rejected on Wednesday as “ineffective” U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran’s civilian space agency and two research organizations for allegedly being used to advance the country’s disputed ballistic missile program.

“Americans are addicted to sanctions. These sanctions are totally ineffective,” Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Foreign Ministry Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury sanctions targeted the Iran Space Agency, Iran Space Research Centre and the Astronautics Research Institute, according to a statement on its website.