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Former US ambassador John Limbert said that Iran would not surrender, despite trade sanctions imposed by the US.

Mr Limbert, the former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iran told BBC Radio 4 Today: “The President would like nothing more than to be involved in some grand gesture so he can claim ‘I am the world’s greatest negotiator and nobody else could.’

“Frankly it is not realistic and I don’t think the Iranians are biting because it is pretty clear that this administration is not interested in an agreement with Iran, it’s interested in a surrender from Iran.”

He added that “as far as I can see” Iran would not surrender.

John Limbert was a US ambassador in Tehran during the Iranian revolution of 1979.