Iran's president boasted yesterday that the United States has lost against the Islamic republic's "righteousness and wisdom" by walking out of the landmark nuclear deal.

"Everyone knows that America has lost legally and politically by giving up on its international obligations and that we have achieved victory," said President Hassan Rouhani in a speech at the University of Tehran to mark the beginning of the school year, as reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP). "There are but a few countries in the world that would call the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA [nuclear deal] a good move," he added. "Those that are cautious express disappointment, those that are more frank say it was a mistake, and the outspoken say it was illegal."

Tensions have increased between Iran and America after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from a multi-lateral agreement on Iran's nuclear program in May. Washington reintroduced steps against Iran's currency trade, metals and auto sectors in August. With U.S. curbs on Iran's oil exports set to come into force next month, some Iranians fear their country is entering an economic slump that may prove worse than the period from 2012 to 2015, when it last faced major sanctions.