The United States will keep increasing pressure on Iran until it abandons its pursuit of nuclear weapons and ceases its violent activities in the Middle East, John Bolton, the White House national security adviser, said on Monday.
"We will continue to increase the pressure on the Iranian regime until it abandons its nuclear weapons program and ends its violent activities across the Middle East, including conducting and supporting terrorism around the world," Bolton said in a speech. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.
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According to a White House spokesman, US President Donald Trump on Monday spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron about Iran's threat to ramp up its uranium enrichment.
"They discussed ongoing efforts to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon and to end Iran's destabilizing behavior in the Middle East," the spokesman said in a statement.
Also on Monday, US Vice President Mike Pence said that the United States was prepared to protect US personnel and citizens in the Middle East as tensions build with Iran over its nuclear program.
Pence made his remarks as Iran threatened to take major steps away from a 2015 nuclear agreement that Washington abandoned last year.
"Let me be clear: Iran should not confuse American restraint with a lack of American resolve," Pence said, speaking to an evangelical Christian group that advocates for the support for Israel.
"We hope for the best, but the United States of America and our military are prepared to protect our interests and protect our personnel and our citizens in the region," Pence said.
Pence said Washington would continue to pressure Iran with sanctions and said that Trump would "never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon."
Trump called off airstrikes against Iran last month minutes before impact after Iran shot down a US unmanned drone.
In his prepared remarks, Pence had planned to say that Washington remained open to talks with Tehran, but dropped the line in his delivered speech.
"The United States does not seek a war with Iran. We are willing to talk. We are willing to listen. But America will not back down," Pence had been set to say in his speech.
