Iran's Fars news agency has cited the country's President Hassan Rouhani as saying that right now, the United States is going through one of its worst periods in its history.
"Today, there are few researchers, intellectuals and experts in the US that share the same opinions as those in the White House, and some of them even explicitly refer to [American politicians] as idiots. This has rarely happened in US history," Rouhani told a cabinet meeting.
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He referred to Washington's staunch allies and traditional partners who are now "proudly distancing themselves from the US," which is only supported by several "ill-famed" countries.
"The US is today in its worst situation globally, and even international organizations such as UNESCO, the UN, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Criminal Court do not approve of American policies," Rouhani underscored.
Touching upon the White House's increasing pressure on Tehran after Washington's withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Rouhani emphasized that Tehran is currently facing an "unsolicited" economic war and contacting those who prefer to ignore international norms.
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Late last month, Rouhani pledged that Tehran would overcome the economic challenges and show "the anti-Iranian officials in the White House" that Washington's sanctions policy would ultimately fail.
The remarks came after the Iranian President stressed that "the United States is more isolated than ever over the sanctions issue," adding that "America's illegal actions […] have even isolated it among its own allies, as we just saw."
The first phase of economic restrictions, which includes a ban on purchasing US currency, trading in gold and other precious metals, as well as buying aluminum and steel for industrial purposes, took effect on August 5.
The second portion, which includes sanctions on Iran's port operations, the energy sector and foreign transactions, is due to be introduced in early November.