TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Friday that thelatest round of US sanctions against the Islamic republic show the “maximumfailure” of Washington’s anti-Iran policy.

Washington extended its sanctions on Iran on Thursday by targeting itsconstruction sector, which the US linked to the country’s RevolutionaryGuards.

“Subjecting construction workers to #EconomicTerrorism only manifestsmaximum failure of ‘maximum pressure’,” Zarif tweeted.

“Rather than dig itself deeper, US should abandon failed policies & returnto #JCPOA,” Zarif added, referring to the formal title of the 2015 nucleardeal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Iranian tensions with the United States have escalated sharply since USPresident Donald Trump last year withdrew from the nuclear deal andreimposed unilateral sanctions as part of its “maximum pressure” campaign.

Tehran has hit back three times since May by suspending parts of itscompliance with the nuclear deal.

It has threatened to go even further if remaining parties to the deal —Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia — cannot help it circumvent USsanctions.

Iran is expected to unveil a fourth package of countermeasures on Monday.-APP/AFP