Pompeo said he expected sanctions to change the behavior of the Iranian government

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo predicted Sunday that the remaining sanctions against Iran, resumed on Monday, will change the behavior of the Tehran government in the region.

Pompeo said the sanctions – the latest to come back after the withdrawal of the US from the 2015 nuclear deal – are aimed at getting Tehran to stop supporting activists in the Middle East, stop missile testing and treats his own citizens with greater respect.

"I am very confident that the sanctions that will be reimposed on Monday – not just the sanctions for crude oil, but the financial sanctions put in place by the Treasury Department and more than 600 designations of people and companies in Iran – will have the expected effect: to change the behavior of Iran, "he said." These are our expectations. "

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Sunday marks the end of the 180-day deadline set by the United States before the resumption of the second round of sanctions lifted under the 2015 agreement. Although the sanctions target the financial and maritime sectors, more important prohibit purchases of Iranian oil, which provides 80% of Tehran's tax revenue.

As of Monday, all countries and companies that buy oil from Iran risk secondary sanctions from the United States, and the government is committed to aggressively prosecuting offenders. . Virtually all multinationals that started doing business in Iran after sanctions were suspended in 2016 have pulled out. This has helped to bring down the Iranian rial and harm ordinary Iranians in a context of soaring prices of staples.

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But only a few countries support American action, and the Iranian authorities have said the reimposed sanctions reflect the isolation of the United States. Many analysts in the Middle East are also skeptical that Iran will change its behavior in any way, as a sign of defiance.

Pompeo defended the administration's decision to grant temporary exemptions to oil sanctions to eight countries, including some of Iran's biggest oil customers.

The State Secretary did not name the countries, although Turkey stated that it had been notified and be part of it. China, South Korea, Japan and India should also obtain exemptions. Pompeo said all had already significantly reduced their purchases of Iranian oil, but "it takes a little more time to get to zero".