US State Department's Policy Planning Director Brian Hook said that the United States relies on Russia and China in exerting sanctions pressure on Iran.
"We believe that China and Russia and the other countries who are part of the Iran deal are tired of the terrorism that Iran is causing. They don’t support the proliferation of missiles around the Middle East. So we believe that most countries around the world share our goals," Hook said.
"Our focus is on getting as many countries importing Iranian crude down to zero as soon as possible," ABC News cited Hook as saying.
He seemed to celebrate the collapsing Iranian economy, telling reporters that their efforts had led to more than 50 international companies announcing they will leave the Iranian market, although the State Department is not providing that list.
"Foreign direct investment is falling, and the rial hit an all-time high against the dollar last week," the official added, blaming the Iranian regime's "violent misadventures abroad" and saying its economy is "too distorted by corruption and the [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps'] pervasive presence in most key sectors."
