The US wanted to extend the arms embargo after it expires on October 18 but Iran has vowed to ignore this. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action’s expiration will be “the day of US defeat”. Mr Khatibzadeh said: “There are some anti-Iran groups in Washington that make every effort to extend the embargo.
“They continue this struggle to spark psychological warfare against the Iranian nation.
“However, Iran has proved that it moves forward with patience and calculation.”
The Trump administration wants to extend the embargo, signed in 2015 under the “Iran Nuclear Deal”.
Washington warns lifting the embargo will allow Iran to send weapons to its proxies in the region.
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The US has increased sanctions on Iran, particularly targeting Iranian banks.
Opponents have said this restricts money required to facilitate humanitarian aid.
These sanctions could indirectly affect the health of many Iranians.
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter: “Amid Covid19 pandemic, US regime wants to blow up our remaining channels to pay for food and medicine.”
Tehran now hopes for a Biden administration to replace Donald Trump.
Mr Biden said he would re-join the original “nuclear deal” signed by former president Barack Obama in 2015.
The “nuclear deal” was called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and signed by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany.