The USA has re-imposed economic sanctions on Iran. It warned Iran there would be "relentless" pressure unless it changes its "revolutionary course". President Trump reinstated all sanctions that were lifted in 2015 after the Iranian nuclear deal. Most sanctions target Iran's economy. The U.S. described the new penalties as, "the toughest U.S. sanctions ever imposed on Iran". It added they would, "target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as the energy, shipping and shipbuilding, and financial sectors" to put "maximum financial pressure on the Iranian regime".

Iran's president was defiant in the face of the renewed sanctions. He said: "We will proudly break the sanctions." He described Mr Trump's administration as, "a throwback to the era of Bush junior and a repeat of the same statements as 2003". He said: "The Iranian people have heard these statements hundreds of times, and no longer pay attention." The Al Jazeera news agency said the sanctions were a backward step. It wrote: "With one Trump signature, the goodwill that had been built between Iranians and the rest of the world crumbled in a matter of months."