(Photo: AP)

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday reimposing many sanctions on Iran, three months after pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, saying the US policy is to levy “maximum economic pressure” on the country.

White House released its statement saying "Today, the United States is taking action to reimpose nuclear-related sanctions with respect to Iran that were lifted in connection with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action of July 14, 2015 (the “JCPOA”). These actions include reimposing sanctions on Iran’s automotive sector and on its trade in gold and precious metals, as well as sanctions related to the Iranian rial."

“These measures will take effect on August 7, 2018. All remaining United States nuclear-related sanctions will resume effective November 5, 2018. These include sanctions targeting Iran’s energy sector, including petroleum-related transactions, as well as transactions by foreign financial institutions with the Central Bank of Iran," the statement said.

European foreign ministers said Monday they “deeply regret” the reimposition of US sanctions.

A statement by European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom insisted that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal “is working and delivering on its goal” of limiting Iran’s nuclear program.

The ministers said the Iran deal is “crucial for the security of Europe, the region and the entire world.”

A senior administration official said the United States is “not particularly concerned” by EU efforts to protect European firms from the reimposition of sanctions.

The official was not authorized to discuss the matter by name and spoke Monday on condition of anonymity.

The European Union issued a “blocking statute” Monday to protect European businesses from the impact of the sanctions.

The official says the US will use the sanctions aggressively and cited Iran’s severe economic downturn this year as evidence the sanctions would prove to be effective despite opposition from the EU, China and Russia.

Pompeo called the Iranian leadership “bad actors” and said Trump is intent on getting them to “behave like a normal country.”

A first set of US sanctions that had been eased by the Obama administration under the terms of the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal took effect on Monday, following Trump’s May decision to withdraw from the accord. Those sanctions target Iran’s automotive sector as well as gold and other metals. A second batch of US sanctions targeting Iran’s oil sector and central bank will be reimposed in early November.