President-elect Donald Trump prepares to reinstate his administration's "maximum pressure" strategy
Date
11/19/2024 7:47:15 AM
(MENAFN) President-elect Donald trump is preparing to reinstate his administration's "maximum pressure" strategy toward Iran, aiming to drive the country toward economic collapse and limit its capacity to fund regional proxies and pursue nuclear development. According to sources cited by *The Financial Times*, Trump's foreign policy team plans to significantly tighten sanctions on Tehran, especially targeting its critical oil exports, once he assumes office in January.
A national security expert familiar with Trump's foreign policy intentions stated that the president-elect is eager to quickly reintroduce the maximum pressure approach. This shift in U.S. policy comes amid rising instability in the Middle East, exacerbated by the recent Israel-Hamas conflict and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
During his campaign, Trump expressed a willingness to negotiate with Iran, but underscored that a deal must be reached, warning that the consequences of failure would be severe. Despite this, sources close to Trump suggest that the administration will use maximum pressure to push Iran into negotiations, although many experts believe that this approach may not yield the desired outcome.
Trump's first-term policy included withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposing a wide range of sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran has significantly expanded its nuclear activities, including enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels.
Under the Biden administration, sanctions have remained in place, but critics argue they have been insufficiently enforced, with efforts to revive the nuclear deal taking priority. Meanwhile, Iran's oil exports have surged, increasing from 400,000 barrels per day in 2020 to over 1.5 million barrels per day in 2024, mostly due to shipments to China, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Trump’s team is reportedly preparing executive orders for his first day in office, aimed at tightening existing sanctions and imposing new restrictions on Iran's oil exports. Energy analysts predict these measures could reduce Iran's oil output to a few hundred thousand barrels per day, further damaging its fragile economy.
Advisers have urged Trump to act swiftly on Iran, with plans to send a strong message that the U.S. will rigorously enforce sanctions. Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, previously supported legislation that would impose secondary sanctions on Chinese companies buying Iranian oil, although the bill failed to pass the Senate.
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