ALBAWABA - Trump plans to reinstate his administration's “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, tightening sanctions to limit Tehran's ability to support regional proxies and progress its nuclear program.
This approach intends to push Iran into economic collapse and force it to renegotiate nuclear and regional concerns, according to anonymous sources in the Financial Times.
When Trump enters office in January 2025, his foreign policy team will tighten sanctions on Iran's vital oil exports, the paper said. The sanctions aim to cut Iran's oil exports, which presently exceed 1.5 million barrels per day, to a fraction of that amount, damaging its main cash source.
Al Jazeera said that Trump's first term saw the US withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and slap hundreds of sanctions on Iran. While sanctions increased economic pressure, Tehran increased nuclear efforts, enriching uranium approaching weapons-grade levels. This renewed effort parallels Trump's previous approach but targets faster economic damage, say experts.
The October 2023 Israeli-Gaza confrontation and Iran-related conflicts have raised regional tensions, prompting this policy shift. Trump intimated during his campaign that he wanted a deal with Tehran, but sources close to his administration say the new terms would be stiffer than Iran has faced before.
Al Jazeera said that Trump's aides saw these increased sanctions as a way to force Iran to negotiate. Analysts doubt Tehran will negotiate under such pressure.
The Biden administration maintained sanctions but revived the nuclear accord, helping Iran recover economically. Trump's administration appears determined to reverse these advances to attain “energy dominance” and redefine geopolitics.
