Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday that the U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic are "hostile moves."

Talking to reporters in his weekly press briefing, Mehmanparast said the sanctions that western countries and the United States are pursuing against Iran are not new subjects and they have been going on for the past 30 years.

"These sanctions are considered as hostile moves and it shows that the westerners and especially the United States have not known Iranians," he said.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday ordered the freezing of Iran's property under U.S. jurisdiction, including that of the country's central bank, as the U.S. and its allies are pressing hard over the Islamic Republic's controversial nuclear program.

Calling them "additional steps" against Iran, the president ordered "all property and interests in property of" the government of Iran as well as the republic's financial institutions under U.S. jurisdiction, including the Central Bank of Iran, to be "blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in."

The property of persons determined to have links to those already under U.S. sanctions is ordered to be frozen as well.

In his executive order, Obama said the move aims in particular to counter the "deceptive practices" of Iran's central bank and other banks to conceal transactions of sanctioned parties, the deficiencies in Iran's anti-money laundering regime and the weaknesses in its implementation, and the "continuing and unacceptable" risk posed to the international financial system by Iran's activities.

Obama's order, which became effective at 12:01 a.m. EST on Monday (1701 GMT), came amid heightened tensions between Western countries and Iran over the latter's nuclear program and growing rumors about an imminent strike by Israel on Iran's nuclear facilities.

The Iranian spokesman said Tuesday that if the Americans and their allies want to stop the progress of the Islamic Republic and prevent it from achieving its rights "by resorting to illogical pressures and inhumane means, our nations will respond properly."

"The practical outcome of such measures (of sanctioning Iran) is the determination of Iranian nation in implementing their outstanding goals in the framework of national interests and rights," he added.