Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the United States sanctions an economic war, and said there could be no talks with it until sanctions are lifted, following US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s remarks that Washington was prepared to engage with Tehran without preconditions. Zarif accused the US of practicing economic terrorism against Tehran. Further, head of the Iranian judiciary Ebrahim Raisi – a key rival of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani - considered negotiations a US need and urged Iranian officials to abide by the goals set by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei regarding internal policies. The US-China trade war, which has been one of the most important international challenges in recent months, has aspects and consequences that can go beyond the bilateral relations of the two sides, said the Iranian foreign ministry, adding that the war has targeted the development and welfare of the people of the world. The United States is dealing with China with an acquisitive attitude and is trying to impose political considerations on economic realities, added the ministry. “We believe that the US efforts to maintain its previous position by imposing unconventional costs on others are doomed to failure, and are not consistent with the international pyramid of power amid the current rapid developments,” it revealed. In a related matter, ISNA news agency welcomed Monday the latest report of Irans Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA) revealing that Iran’s stocks of nuclear materials are still within limits set by the 2015 nuclear deal. As of 20 May, Iran had 174.1 kg of enriched uranium, up from 163.8kg in February. Earlier this month, Iran announced that it will no more comply with the nuclear deal restrictions to protest economic sanctions imposed on Tehran after the US withdrawal from the agreement. ISNA – close to the Iranian government – reported Monday that Tehran’s decision to stop implementing some of the commitments was among the reasons that pushed Pompeo to call for negotiations without preconditions.