US President Donald Trump has resumed his "maximum pressure" policy against Iran, signing an executive order.
Reuters reports that the order includes efforts to reduce Tehran's oil exports to zero to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
He signed the order before a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, restoring Washington's strict policy on Iran that was in place during his first term.
When signing the document, Trump described it as "very tough" and said he had hesitated to take the step.
Trump assured that he was open to reaching an agreement with Iran and expressed his willingness to talk to the Iranian president.
"In my case, everything is obvious: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," Trump said. When asked how close Iran is to acquiring a nuclear weapon, Trump replied, "They're very close."
Trump accused former President Joe Biden of not strictly enforcing sanctions on oil exports. Trump said this encouraged Tehran to sell oil to fund its nuclear weapons program and armed groups in the Middle East
