With tensions spiking between the U.S. and Iran following Tehran's decision to up uranium enrichment,... U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has warned that Washington is prepared to protect its national interests.
He added the U.S. will continue to pile economic pressure on Iran through crushing sanctions.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
With Iran threatening to take major steps away from the 2015 nuclear accord that the Trump administration abandoned last year,... U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said Monday that Washington is ready to protect U.S. personnel and citizens in the Middle East, adding it will continue to bring pressure to bear to Tehran.

"We hope for the best but the United States of America and our military are prepared to protect our interests and protect our personnel and our citizens in the region. We will continue to oppose Iran's malign influence. We will continue to bring pressure on their economy and, under President Donald Trump, America will never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon."

Pence again accused Iran of attacking tankers near the Strait of Hormuz,... adding that Tehran also downed an unmanned American drone.
Pence said Iran has been "increasing even more of their malign activity and violence in the region".

With industry sources reporting Iran's crude oil exports dropped in June,... the country's oil minister blamed Washington for destabilizing the oil market on Monday,... saying the U.S. was "using the oil as a weapon" to pressure Iran.
However, Bijan Zanganeh remains hopeful that oil exports will improve,... adding it's not the price of oil that's a concern,... but the amount it can ship out.
This comes as the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed Iran has enriched uranium beyond a 3.67 percent purity limit,... a move announced by the Iranian government last weekend.
The IAEA said it verified the enrichment level using online enrichment monitors,... and samples had also been taken on Monday for analysis.
It added Iran had informed the agency that the enrichment level was about 4.5 percent,... but could be higher.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.