FNA - A prominent Italian economic expert described the US sanctions against Iran as a strategic folly, but meantime, warned that Washington wants to continue its hegemony over the oil-rich Middle-East region.

"The US sanctions against Iran are a completely stupid move and I fully oppose them. The US aims to control oil and extend its hegemony in the region by imposing the sanctions," Stella Cabeli told FNA on Sunday.

She noted that the US seeks to take control of the Persian Gulf and oil-rich regions at any costs given the importance of energy supplies in the world.

The US withdrew from the internationally-endorsed 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018 and imposed the toughest-ever sanctions against Iran in a bid to force Tehran to make more compromises over its power components, namely, the nuclear technology, missile program and regional presence.

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri underlined the US inability to continue pressures and sanctions against Iran for a long period of time.

"The US created al-Qaeda and ISIL but Iran confronted them and finally Trump himself was forced to acknowledge that they have spent $7,000bln in the region but gained nothing," Jahangiri said, addressing an economic forum in Tehran.

He referred to Washington's embargos against Iran, and said, "This period will not last long because the US sanctions are very irrational and lack backing."

Jahangiri said the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal indicated the country's bullying policies, cautioning that Washington did not want a powerful Iran in the region.