Khamenei's Top Aide: Iran to Reciprocate US Sanctions.

Khamenei's Top Aide: Iran to Reciprocate US Sanctions. (Fars).

Iranian Supreme Leader's top adviser for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati warned the US Congress against increased sanctions against Tehran, and said such hostile moves which contradict the July nuclear deal would receive a proper response.

"Such measures are against the spirit ruling the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (nuclear deal) since the JCPOA underlines that none of the Group 5+1 members (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) should increase economic pressures against Iran," Velayati told FNA on Thursday.

"The US administration's measure and increasing sanctions will leave bad effects on the Islamic Republic of Iran's trust and of course, such measures will not remain unanswered by the Iranian officials," he added.

His remarks came after the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the US is preparing sanctions against firms and individuals in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates over alleged links to Iran’s ballistic missile program.

In a similar reaction, Iran's Foreign Ministry warned the US to avoid meddling in Tehran's plans to reinvigorate its defensive capabilities or wait for the Islamic Republic's firm response.

"Such measures are unilateral, self-centered and illegal and the Islamic Republic of Iran has notified the US administration and they have themselves announced before that Iran's missile issue is not related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and no action will be able to deprive the Islamic Republic of Iran from its legitimate and legal rights to strengthen its defensive power and national security," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said on Thursday.

"Therefore, the Islamic Republic of Iran will give a response to any US meddling action against its defensive programs by (further) strengthening its defensive power," he added.

If the new sanctions are imposed, they will be a blatant violation of the nuclear deal signed between Tehran and the world powers in July that would eventually see Washington drop sanctions targeting Iran.

According to the WSJ, the Treasury Department is preparing sanctions on two Iran-linked networks helping develop the missile program.

Under the planned restrictions, the US or foreign nationals would be barred from doing business with the firms and people in the networks. US banks would also freeze any US-held assets.