Iran's parliament speaker has accused U.S. officials of failing to implement last year's landmark nuclear deal and of pushing Tehran and Washington toward a "confrontation."
Ali Larijani, a hard-liner who helped to gain parliamentary approval last year for the historic nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, said in parliament on July 20 that U.S. government officials are putting obstacles in the way of Iran being readmitted into the world economy.
"With great sadness, [the Iranian] parliament warns the U.S. administration, House of Representatives, and Senate that the efforts to undermine the nuclear agreement have reached a point that leaves no option for Iran but confrontation," he said.
Larijani claimed that since the deal curbing Iran's nuclear program was reached, the U.S. Congress has passed 52 bills and sanctions related to Iran.
He added that there are so many "harassment actions" that there is "no way but retaliation."