ERBIL, Kurdistan region of Iraq - An Iranian foreign ministry official claimed Monday that Iran’s state bank accounts abroad were largely emptied in advance of the new wave of international sanctions and asset freezes that Tehran has faced over the past two days.

Deputy Minister of Economic Diplomacy Hamid Ghanbari said reports of the Central Bank of Iran's assets being frozen were inaccurate because Iranian banks anticipated the activation of the international sanctions mechanism.

Ghanbari told state media, “The issue of the freezing of the assets of the Central Bank of Iran is not true because Iranian banks knew that such an action would be taken. The accounts that were frozen had basically no balance or only a minimal balance remained to prevent the accounts from being closed,” IRNA reported.

Ghanbari stressed that Iran has always taken steps to reduce the effectiveness of sanctions, “which is not a new issue.” He noted these arrangements have been made throughout past years.

He further highlighted the new focus of the latest European Union sanctions, which had previously centered on “human rights and military sanctions,” has shifted to “nuclear issues.”

The statements follow the British government’s move on Monday to add 71 individuals and entities tied to Tehran’s nuclear program to its sanctions list, imposing asset freezes. 

The expanded sanctions list includes senior officials in Iran’s nuclear program and major financial and energy institutions, notably the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). The measures include travel bans for designated individuals, asset freezes, and broad trade restrictions.

The UK's action came a day after the United Nations formally reimposed a global arms embargo and other sanctions on Iran through the “snapback” mechanism of the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The UK, France, and Germany triggered the "snapback," accusing Tehran of noncompliance with the accord.

On Sunday, the Iranian government announced its preparedness for the reimposition of international sanctions by Western powers, saying it had spent months studying plans to deal with the economic fallout. 

The renewed restrictions introduce a global ban on working with companies and individuals accused of cooperating with Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.