TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s foreign minister has urged the Joe Biden administration to unconditionally lift all sanctions imposed on Iran under former U.S. President Donald Trump after the US retreated from some of Trump’s anti-Iran measures.

“The U.S. acknowledged Pompeo’s claims re Res. 2231 had no legal validity,” Zarif wrote in a tweet on Friday, hours after the Biden administration rescinded Trump’s alleged restoration of UN sanctions on Iran back in September, which fell short of garnering enough support at the UN Security Council in the first place.

In recent weeks, Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads over which side should first return to comply with the 2015 nuclear deal, which the Trump administration withdrew from in 2018 and tried to destroy with his so-called maximum pressure campaign.

“The U.S. unconditionally & effectively lift all sanctions imposed, re-imposed or re-labeled by Trump,” Zarif said. “We will then immediately reverse all remedial measures.”

Tehran argues that the U.S. should first lift all the sanctions put in place under Trump before the Islamic Republic returns to full compliance with the deal, as it was the U.S. that caused the complication by pulling out of the deal, which in turn prompted Iran to take remedial measures.

Iran says the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has kept up his predecessor’s “maximum pressure” policy towards Iran that has brought along nothing but defeat and disgrace for Washington.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh later responded to the U.S. move, which he called a mere “gesture” and said the US must lift sanctions in order to revive the JCPOA.

“Remember, Trump left the room and tried to blow it up,” Khatibzadeh tweeted. “Gestures are fine. But to revive P5+1, U.S. must Act: LIFT sanctions.”

Meanwhile, President Hassan Rouhani said the new U.S. administration needs to act swiftly to make up for the past mistakes and return to the rule of law by resuming its commitments under a UN resolution that endorsed the 2015 agreement on the Iranian nuclear program.

“Implementing and respecting international law, commitments and treaties are among the humanitarian and political duties of all governments,” Rouhani said in a videoconference address to the inaugural ceremony of four industrial and mineral projects on Thursday.

“Therefore, we hope that they [US] will return to the rule of law so that we will be able to conduct our interactions, particularly in the trade sector, in the world under better circumstances,” he added.

He said the former “madman” at the White House waged war against the Iranian nation that was unprecedented in history, referring to ex-US president Donald Trump.

Trump imagined that he could bring Iran to its knees by exercising pressure on the nation and forcing it to succumb, Rouhani added.

However, he said, American people and the current president of the country have realized that the former president was wrong,” expressing hope that “those mistakes will be compensated for as soon as possible, and the new U.S. administration will submit to the law, regulations and [UN Security Council] Resolution 2231.”

Later on Thursday, Rouhani said as an important international actor, the European Union must play a suitable role in counteracting the U.S.’ unilateral policies and protect the landmark nuclear deal with Iran as a major fruit of multilateral diplomacy.

Rouhani made the remarks in a Thursday phone call with Charles Michel, president of the European Council, during which he highlighted the important role of the Council in setting the direction of the European Union’s major policies and delineating its priorities.

“As an important actor in the international arena, the European Union must play a suitable role to counteract the U.S. unilateralism,” Iran’s president said.

Rouhani reiterated that as such an important achievement for globally-inclusive diplomacy, the deal — officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — should not be allowed to come apart easily.

He advised that Mogherini’s successor Josep Borrell continue serving the duty of coordinator by devising the steps that could salvage the deal.

Michel, for his part, laid emphasis likewise on the need to save the nuclear deal and ensure its complete implementation on the part of all the signatories. He reiterated Europe’s sustained support for the accord in the aftermath of the US’ self-willed withdrawal.