Irans countermeasures for fighting US economic sanctions, which cripple Iranian oil exports, include blocking the strategic Hormuz Strait, said Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ali Motahari. Vice President Ishaq Jahangiri said that the sanctions aim to incite more popular protests. “The US sanctions are hurting the economy,” he said, adding that he pledged to “sell as much oil as possible” and protect the banking system. Jahangiri said Washington was trying to stop Iranian petrochemical, steel and copper exports. “America is trying to cut Iranian oil sales, our vital source of income, to zero. It is wrong to believe that the US economic war on Iran will have no impact.” Reviewing European attempts for saving the Iran deal, National Security and Foreign Policy committee chairman Hashmatullah Faisah Bishah said that European proposals do not match the gravity of the American threat package. Motahari, speaking to the Iranian parliaments website, supported the implicit threat posed by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani last week on the sidelines of his visit to Switzerland. In support of Rouhanis position on closing down the strait, Motahari said it was a good measure against American threats. He added that Rouhani’s threat is predicated on a strong Iranian belief that “Americans are not prepared for a new war in the Gulf.” Motahari predicted “positive” results for the threats made by Rouhani, pointing out that the threat would act as a “deterrent to a ban on outgoing oil exports from Iran.” Rouhani said on Tuesday that Tehran would remain “committed” to the nuclear deal if its interests are guaranteed “against the US.” Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif said he hoped “to redraft the agreement without Washington.” Iranian media outlets quoted a source close to negotiations with Europeans confirming that talks included banking and oil sales. “Europeans are looking for a channel to facilitate Irans access to banking relations with other countries under US sanctions, the proposed channel is designed in a way that is not affected by threats of sanctions,” Dunay Economy quoted a government source as saying. According to the proposal, there are European intentions to consider opening an Iranian bank account focused on collecting Iranian revenues. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had previously made comments on trade between countries remaining in the deal and Iran carry on without the US dollar. Iran wants to obtain quantitative guarantees to sell oil but the basket of European proposals does not include a proposal on the quantities of sale of Iranian oil, negotiations are currently underway between the parties to scale Iranian demand for oil sales and guarantees, in addition to ensuring access to revenue from made off oil.