Iran says U.S. "maximum pressure" campaign aims at gov't collapse

Iran's First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri said on Saturday that "the United States seeks the collapse of Iranian government through maximum pressure campaign," official IRNA news agency reported.

Iranian Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri. [File Photo: EPA via IC/YOUSSEF BADAWI]

"Their ultimate goal is the collapse of the Iranian government and their short term goal is to disintegrate the economy of the country," Jahangiri was quoted as saying.

Jahangiri said that "Washington, as a signatory of the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal, unilaterally withdrew from the accord last year and launched an unfair war on Iran by restoration of economic sanctions."

U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the deal in May 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran.

The White House has vowed "maximum pressure" campaign to push Tehran to negotiation table for the sign of a new nuclear deal, a curb of Iran's missile program and containment of Iran's influence in the region, which the Islamic republic has rejected.