Iran says US policy on nuclear deal 'contradictory'

Tehran hit out Tuesday at what it called Washington's "contradictory" policies, after President Joe Biden vowed to pile pressure on Iran ahead of a visit to US allies in the Middle East.

Biden has been seeking to restore the Iran nuclear deal that was abandoned by his predecessor Donald Trump, but he has refused to lift sanctions on the Islamic republic until it returns to compliance with the accord.

In an opinion piece for the Washington Post ahead of his visit this week to Israel and Saudi Arabia, Biden pointed to the "rapid acceleration" of Iran's nuclear programme after Trump "reneged on a nuclear deal that was working".

"My administration will continue to increase diplomatic and economic pressure until Iran is ready to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, as I remain prepared to do," Biden wrote on Saturday.

Iran on Tuesday blasted the Biden administration for what it said was an inconsistent approach on the nuclear issue.

"Mr. Joe Biden's emphasis on pursuing the policy of economic and diplomatic pressure against Iran is contradictory to US continued expression of desire to revive the 2015 agreement," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said.

The current...