LONDON- Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order reimposing a raft of economic sanctions on Iran over the country's nuclear program.

The US president said earlier this year he would pull his country out of the 2015 deal, which curbed Iran's ability to enrich uraniam to certain levels in exchange for an end to crippling sanctions.

He said the reintroduction of the sanctions were designed to levy «maximum economic pressure» on Tehran.

However, Trump also said he remains open to forging a new nuclear deal with Iran.

«I remain open to reaching a more comprehensive deal that addresses the full range of the regime's malign activities, including its ballistic missile program and its support for terrorism,» Trump said.

A first phase of the sanctions against Iran goes into effect overnight.