'This is war': Iran feels impact of US sanctions

TEHERAN(AFP) - Iran is being hit by a "war" on its economy, according to officials facing tightened United States (US) sanctions and renewed Israeli threats of imminent military action over Teheran's nuclear activities.

"This is war," Mr Ayatollah Ahmad Janati, the hardline chief of Iran's influential Guardians Council, said as he led Friday prayers in Teheran.

Iran needs to mobilise "the nation, government, officials and armed forces" to tackle its "special and serious economic problems" which went beyond the global economic malaise, he said.

"We should prepare and break this wave (of economic pressure). We should not surrender," he said.