Iran is not afraid of U.S. sanctions or attack, the Revolutionary Guard deputy commander said on Tuesday, ahead of what appears an imminent announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that the US would leave the nuclear deal Tehran signed with world powers in 2015.

"Our nation is not afraid of U.S. sanctions or military attack. Our enemies including America, the Zionist regime and the allies in the region should know that Iran has prepared for the worst scenarios and threats," Hossein Salami was quoted by Fars news agency.

Over the weekend, speaking to reporters after a Saturday keynote to the Iran Freedom Convention for Democracy and Human Rights in Washington, Rudy Giuliani said "We got a president who is tough, who does not listen to the people who are naysayers, and a president who is as committed to regime change as we are ." In other words, pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal is now being conflated with regime change in Iran.

Giuliani says he's been a supporter of regime change for "ten years," that it's the only way to peace in the middle east, and that it's "more important than an Israeli-Palestinian deal."

Rudy Giuliani advocates regime change in Iran: "I think it's the only way to peace in the Middle East. It's more important than an Israeli-Palestinian deal" https://t.co/Fpf6OgOlaC — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 5, 2018

The former Mayor of New York City, who was at one point under consideration for Secretary of State, pretended at one point in his speech that his notes were the Iran nuclear deal - ripping them up and spitting on them. “With Secretary of State Pompeo now on his right hand and his national security advisor John Bolton… on his left side, what do you think is going to happen to that agreement, that nuclear agreement?” Giuliani asked.

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Over the weekend, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the US of "historic regret" if it pulls out from the nuclear deal.

"If the United States leaves the JCPOA, you will soon see the historic regret which the move will bring about for Washington", Rouhani told a crowd in Sabzevar in northeast Iran.