U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Iran has to start behaving like what he calls a "normal country," as the United States prepares to reimpose sanctions on Tehran.
"This is just about the Iranians' dissatisfaction with their own government and the president's (Trump) been pretty clear. We want the Iranian people to have a strong voice in who their leadership will be," Pompeo told reporters Sunday.
He said the White House would give details Monday about the sanctions that will take effect Tuesday against a wide range of Iranian industries, including its automotive industry, gold, coal and steel. The Iranian government will also no longer be allowed to buy U.S. and European planes and U.S. banknotes.
People and businesses involved in those industries were given a 90-day period to wind down their activities. That period expires Monday.
Sanctions against Iranian energy exports are set to come back into effect in November.
The sanctions that had been lifted are returning after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and five other nations.
The agreement called for Iran to sharply curb its uranium enrichment program in exchange for the end of most sanctions. Trump has called it a terrible deal because he says it gives Iran the opportunity to restart its nuclear program.
Iran has repeatedly denied its nuclear program was aimed at developing nuclear weapons.
Iran and the other signatories remain committed to the agreement. The International Atomic Energy Agency, which is monitoring the implementation of the deal, says Iran is in compliance and that the agreement has allowed for greater verification of Iran's nuclear activities.
