North Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement decrying Washington’s continued sanctions policies against them as “most extreme hostile acts,” arguing the measures threaten diplomacy, and warning they would defend themselves.

The Ministry’s Wednesday statement sharply criticized the White House’s decision last Friday to extend 6 executive orders sanctioning the country over their nuclear and missile programs for another year.

The wild dream of the US to bring us to our knees by means of sanctions and pressure has not changed at all but grows even more undisguised.

The statement also took issue with “reckless remarks” made by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last Sunday regarding the prospects for future nuclear talks. Pompeo was unusually cordial in his comments, reiterating readiness to sit down to talks without preconditions.

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In North Korea’s traditional rhetoric, the statement also warned the country’s enemies in Washington that they would neither “hesitate to pull a muscle-flexing trigger in order to defend [itself]” if its sovereignty is threatened, nor will it be forced into surrendering due to sanctions.

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