Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said today, Sunday, that the policy of "maximum pressure" adopted by the US administration against his country has become "utmost isolation" for Washington, after the latter unilaterally announced the re-imposition of UN sanctions on Tehran, in a move that received widespread international criticism.

"We can say that the policy of maximum pressure of the United States against Iran, in its political and legal form, has turned into a policy of maximum isolation for the United States," Rouhani said - in a speech during a government meeting broadcast on television.

He pointed out that Washington had received, in the last period, "3 consecutive defeats in the UN Security Council, that is, in the place that the Americans have always believed is their point of strength."

"America is close to certain defeat in its move to re-impose sanctions ... America faced defeat and met with a negative reaction from the international community and its traditional allies. The Iranian people will never yield to American pressure," Rouhani added, adding that "Iran will respond overwhelmingly to American bullying."

And US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced at dawn today, Sunday, that the United Nations sanctions against Iran "entered into force again", warning of "consequences" if other countries failed to implement these sanctions.

European rejection

Sanctions were lifted under the nuclear agreement concluded by international powers with Iran in 2015, but US President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement last year and called for the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran.

"If the member states of the United Nations fail to fulfill their duties in implementing these sanctions, the United States is prepared to use its internal powers to impose consequences for these failures," Pompeo said.

He explained that activating the return to the original state clause re-imposes almost all sanctions on Iran, including those that had previously been abolished by the United Nations, including the arms embargo.

For its part, the European Troika reiterated its rejection of Washington's decisions, considering them "without legal effect."

In a joint statement by the foreign ministries of Germany, Britain and France, these countries warned that “the United States no longer participates in the comprehensive nuclear agreement after its withdrawal from it on May 8, 2018, and therefore the implementation of the decision (imposing sanctions) under Article 11 of the agreement cannot be done." Have no legal effects. "

The statement added that the three countries remain "committed to preserving the nuclear deal."

Russia also condemned the US decision, as the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned today, Sunday, the United States ’unilateral declaration, noting that the US statements lack a legal basis.

"By their very nature, the unlawful initiatives and actions of the United States cannot have international legal consequences for other countries," the ministry said in a statement.

Gentile "doubt"

In the same context, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, told the UN Security Council that he could not take any action regarding America's announcement to reimpose all UN sanctions on Iran, given that there is "suspicion" in the matter.

"There appears to be doubt as to whether the process has actually started, and doubts at the same time about whether the termination (of the sanctions) ... is still in effect," Guterres said in a message to the council.

"The Secretary-General cannot proceed as if such suspicion does not exist," he added.

Usually, UN officials provide administrative and technical support to the Security Council to implement its sanctions, as the Secretary-General appoints independent experts to monitor implementation, but Guterres said he will not take any action to provide this support until the situation becomes clear.