Iran complying with 2015 n-deal : US

Washington, July 18 (IANS) US President Donald Trump's administration has said for the second time that Iran is complying with the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated with six world powers.

However, the Trump administration on Monday said the country was "in default of the spirit" of the deal and that the US was working on new non-nuclear sanctions against Iran, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to senior officials, the Trump administration would certify to US Congress that Iran had so far been compliant with its commitments under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal reached between Iran and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US.

"The Secretary of State is in the process as we speak of certifying to the Congress that the conditions that are laid out in the deal have been met based on information available to the US," a senior official said.

However, the official said the Trump administration saw Iran as "one of the most dangerous threats to US interests and to regional stability".

Stressing that the US was not going soft on Iran, officials said Washington was expected to implement new sanctions that pertain to Iran's ballistic missile programme and fast boat programme.

"They are part of an ongoing campaign to hold Iran accountable for its misbehaviour in ways that don't touch the deal," said an official.

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly criticised the Iran nuclear deal as "the worst deal ever negotiated".

The deal set limits on Iran's nuclear activities and allowed regular inspections of the facilities inside Iran.

In return, the US and the EU will suspend nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, with the lifting of all past UN Security Council sanction resolutions.

Trump has recently called Iran a "rogue" state, which has aroused fierce response from Tehran.

"Trump ought to seek the reason for subversion and rebellion in his own arbitrary and conflicting policies and actions, as well as those of his arrogant, aggressive and occupying allies in the region," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Saturday.