TEHRAN, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday strongly criticized the United States for its contradictory policies towards Tehran.

He made the remarks in the southern province of Bushehr, responding to U.S. calls for negotiations with Iran while simultaneously increasing pressure on the country, according to a statement published on the website of his office.

"If they really seek to negotiate, why don't they stop their hostile policies. The nature of such dual policies has been exposed to the Iranian nation, and they can no longer stop us from continuing our path with such deceptions," said Pezeshkian.

He accused Western states of seeking to repeat in Iran what they had done in Gaza, but stressed that the Iranian people would never yield to such pressure.

"Although the enemies seek to isolate Iran in the region, we have brotherly relations with all our neighbors and will improve them," Pezeshkian emphasized.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to restore the so-called "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, aimed at preventing the country from what he claimed "obtaining a nuclear weapon."

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced sanctions on more than a dozen people and firms accused of facilitating the shipment of millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil.

The intensified pressure comes as Trump has signaled willingness to hold negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program.

Commenting on the U.S. restoration of the "maximum pressure" campaign, Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said Wednesday that "the Iranian administration has an active plan to create economic prosperity, and we will pass through these difficult circumstances on the back of the people's support."

Mohajerani stressed that while Iranians favored negotiations, but would not acquiesce to force and coercion. Enditem

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