Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei

Iran`s Foreign Ministry has denounced the United States for sanctioning International Criminal Court judges, saying that Washington is shielding those who have committed grave crimes.

In a post on X, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the move exposed a deep moral failure in US policy.

"While genocidal war criminals remain at large and continue to commit egregious atrocities and crimes against humanity, the U.S. State Department intensifies pressure and imposes sanctions on those seeking to hold these wanted criminals accountable," Baghaei wrote.

"This represents impunity in its most blatant and brutal form-a profound moral aberration."

The Iranian spokesman`s post comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday announced sanctions on two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges: Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia.

The ICC, which has 125 member states, has been facing mounting pressure from Washington.

In February, the White House imposed restrictions on the court, citing the need to respond to what it called "illegitimate actions" targeting the United States and Israel.

These sanctions, enacted through an executive order by US President Donald Trump, restrict access to essential services and bar entry into the US.

They were prompted by the ICC`s issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant, for "crimes against humanity and war crimes" committed during the genocidal war on Gaza.

Since October 2023, the Israeli military has killed more than 70,660 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, and injured 171,000 others during the ongoing war in Gaza.

UN experts have described the war on Gaza - mainly enabled by the US`s military and political support - as a genocide.