Do not test Donald Trump's resolve, US Vice-President Mike Pence tells Iran

US Vice-President Mike Pence issued a warning to Iran on Sunday not to "test the resolve" of new US President Donald Trump. The vice-president's comments, made in an interview with ABC News, come in the wake of sanctions imposed on Tehran by Washington after a ballistic missile test.

Days after the sanctions were imposed, it was reported that further testing was due to be carried out by Iran. Though US-Iranian relations have long been problematic, they have further deteriorated as Trump signed an executive order to ban travel from seven Muslim-majority countries – including Iran – to the US.

On Sunday Pence joined a growing number of critics within the new administration of Iran and the previous President's handling of relations.Pence said: "The Iranians got a deal from the international community that again, the president and I and our administration think was a terrible deal."

Pence said: "The Iranians got a deal from the international community that again, the president and I and our administration think was a terrible deal."

"Iran would do well to look at the calendar and realise there's a new president in the Oval Office," he said. "And Iran would do well not to test the resolve of this new president."

The warnings echo those expressed by White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, last week, who said: "President Trump has severely criticised the various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama Administration, as well as the United Nations – as being weak and ineffective."

Press Secretary Sean Spicer also said the new administration was not prepared to "sit by and not act on their [Iran's] actions".

The tough talk by Trump's team has led to speculation that the US may not honour terms negotiated between world powers and former president Barack Obama that would see Iran kerb its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from international sanctions. Trump said in response to Iran's perceived "belligerence" that "

Trump said in response to Iran's perceived "belligerence" that "nothing is off the table".