Iran urges world to unite against US 'reckless actions'

Iran urges world to unite against US 'reckless actions'

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran on Sunday called on the rest of the world to unite against the United States, after Washington unilaterally declared UN sanctions against the Islamic republic were back in force.

"We expect the international community and all the countries in the world to stand against these reckless actions by the regime in the White House and speak in one voice," foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told a news conference in Tehran.

Washington has said it will "impose consequences" on any country not complying with the sanctions, although the US is one of the only nations that believes they are in force.

"The whole world is saying nothing has changed," Khatibzadeh said, adding sanctions were in place only in the "imaginary world" of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

"This is much ado about nothing, and I believe these are the most bitter days and hours for the United States," he added.

Calling Washington "isolated" and "on the wrong side of history", Khatibzadeh said Tehran’s message for it was to "return to the international community, to your commitments, stop rebelling and the world will accept you."

According to Pompeo, the UN sanctions were back in force from Sunday.

The move relies on the controversial "snapback" mechanism, which the US claims allows any of the partners to the 2015 nuclear agreement to reimpose UN sanctions if Tehran violates its obligations.