Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said that recent U.S. sanctions against the Islamic republic are "illegal," Tasnim news agency reported on Friday.

"Their new sanctions, like previous embargoes, are ineffective ... and lack any legal basis," Abbas Mousavi was quoted as saying.

A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on June 26, 2019 shows him waving to the crowd during a gathering of the judiciary in the Islamic republic's capital Tehran. [Photo: AFP/HO/Khamenei.Ir]

He said that these sanctions are "desperate" measures taken by the U.S. President Donald Trump administration.

On June 24, Trump signed an executive order targeting sanctions on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his office and those closely affiliated with him. Washington also announced that it will sanction Iran's foreign minister next week.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said that the fresh U.S. sanctions targeting the country's senior officials are harmful to diplomacy as a means to settle prickly issues between Tehran and Washington.