Iran International:

Two Republican senators told Iran International on Thursday that Washington must deploy economic pressure to cripple it Mideast adversary the Islamic Republic of Iran.

"Everything we can do to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and ultimately to support regime change in Iran would be an improvement in US national security", Texas Senator Ted Cruz said.

"I think we have many points of leverage short of military action and economic and diplomatic pressure can have a profoundly powerful effect," he added. "The Ayatollah's intentions are unquestionably hostile. He is a theocratic genocidal lunatic."

Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if it does not reach a new nuclear accord. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed retaliation in the event of an attack.

Previously, the populist US President who campaigned in part on avoiding foreign wars has said he wishes the Iranian people well and suggested he does not seek the overthrow of its theocratic rulers.

Trump in February reinstated the "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions on Iran from his first term with the aim of bringing Iranian oil sales down to zero.

Tehran denies seeking nuclear weapons but the United Nations nuclear watchdog said it now possesses the largest stockpile of enriched uranium of any non-nuclear armed state.

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