Donald Trump intends to significantly tighten sanctions against Iran not only to hinder the development of that country’s nuclear program, but also to limit its support for armed groups in the region.
The Wall Street Journal reports this.
According to the publication, this harsh strategy aims to weaken Iran’s economy and its diplomatic isolation. The proposed measures include the restoration of restrictions on oil exports, as well as impacts on ports and traders who continue to do business with Tehran.
In his first term, Trump withdrew the United States from the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and five other countries. His administration then began a “maximum pressure” policy to force Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions and stop supporting groups the United States considers terrorists. However, despite these measures, Iran has continued nuclear development and funding of proxy groups, and is currently on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
Now, in light of information about a possible assassination attempt on Trump by Iranian agents, his approach toward Iran may become even more decisive. Recently, three suspects were arrested for preparing the assassination attempt and their connection to Tehran was established. According to Mike Mallroy, former Pentagon spokesman for Middle East affairs, such events could become a major factor in Trump’s policy, increasing his toughness toward Iran.
According to sources close to Trump’s team, the president-elect intends to quickly begin implementing new measures. These include increased pressure on Iran’s oil industry, as well as further isolation of the country internationally. A former White House official noted that Iran is in a vulnerable position and now is the right time to tighten sanctions.
Additional sanctions are also being considered, including a ban on cooperation with Chinese ports that receive Iranian oil and sanctions on Iraqi officials who support Iranian-backed militias. These measures could be part of a new stage of the “maximum pressure” strategy, which in turn could significantly affect Iranian oil exports, reducing their volume by 500 thousand barrels per day.
One proponent of this approach is Brian Hook, who oversaw the Iran issue at the State Department during the Trump presidency. He is expected to fill a key national security position in the new administration. Hook noted that the main goal of the new sanctions is to weaken Iran economically so that it can no longer finance terrorism through groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen and other pro-Iran groups in Iraq and Syria.
Recall that Kursor wrote that the United States may not have time to transfer aid to Ukraine in the amount of 6 billion dollars, as previously reported in the media.
