Iran acknowledges sanctions driving up living costs

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian officials have acknowledged that international sanctions imposed on the country over its nuclear program have dramatically increased the cost of living, but they say the penalties will ultimately prove futile.
Iran is under four sets of UN Security Council sanctions as well as other penalties by the United States and the European Union because of its refusal to halt a key aspect of its nuclear program.
Commerce Minister Mahdi Ghazanfari said Saturday that if the sanctions were really having an impact, then the UN would not have had to impose four sets of penalties.
But Chamber of Commerce President Mohammad Nahavandian did say the sanctions have driven up the cost of imports by 30 percent.
Defense Ministry to conduct exercise on Highway 35 on Sunday afternoon
Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow forces airport closure, Russia says
US condemns shooting of Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe
Israeli man arrested in Albania after trying to leave with undeclared €194,000 - report
IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee issues evacuation notice to residents north of Gaza City
Fire breaks out in Haruvit Forest, not yet contained
France's Armed Forces Minister reaffirms no weapons being sold to Israel
IDF arrests PIJ Jenin Battalion commander during West Bank operation
Twenty live hostages, two undetermined, 33 dead, says Israeli source
North Korea internet hit by a major outage, analyst says