Trump to revive ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran by supporting sanctions, Israel strike on nuclear sites

One of President-elect Donald Trump’s first priorities erstwhile he takes agency successful January will beryllium to renew his alleged “maximum pressure” run against Iran by backing Israeli strikes against nan Islamic Republic while imposing sanctions connected Tehran’s lipid exports, experts predict.

Trump, 78, plans to  “isolate Iran diplomatically and weaken them economically truthful they can’t money each of nan violence” done by its proxies specified arsenic Hamas, Hezbollah, and nan Yemen-based Houthis, erstwhile US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook told CNN Thursday.

“It’s going to beryllium maximum unit 2.0,” Robert McNally, a erstwhile US power official, agreed successful a conversation pinch nan Wall Street Journal.

One of nan ways Trump whitethorn activity to compression Tehran is by encouraging an Israeli onslaught connected Iran’s atomic and power facilities, said Helima Croft, main commodities strategist astatine Canadian agent RBC Capital Markets.

The move would beryllium a departure from nan Biden administration, which received reassurance from Israel earlier its Oct. 26 strikes connected Iran that it would debar atomic sites aliases power infrastructure, nan Journal noted.

People briefed connected Trump’s modulation scheme besides told nan outlet that nan 47th president’s management will activity quickly to stifle Iran’s petroleum income by recreating nan strategy adopted during his first term.

“I deliberation you are going to spot nan sanctions spell backmost on, you are going to spot overmuch more, some diplomatically and financially, they are trying to isolate Iran,” a erstwhile Trump White House charismatic said. 

“I deliberation nan cognition is that Iran is decidedly successful a position of weakness correct now, and now is an opportunity to utilization that weakness.”

In 2019, Trump introduced a afloat embargo connected Iran’s crude lipid exports, which caused its shipments to plummet to 250,000 barrels a time by early 2020.

But Iran’s lipid exports reached a six-year precocious successful September this year, aft nan Harris-Biden management tried a softer approach.

Once he takes office, Trump could enforce US bans connected Chinese ports that person Iranian lipid connected apical of sanctions targeting Iraqi officials who money Tehran-backed militias, McNally predicted.

These strategies could beryllium capable to trim astatine slightest 500,000 barrels a time successful lipid purchases, chiefly by China, he said.

Going forward, however, Trump would besides look unit to curb Iranian lipid income while avoiding nan consequence of lipid prices spiking and contributing to inflation.

“The business whitethorn go catastrophic for Iran’s lipid industry,” an Iranian charismatic told nan Journal of Trump’s purported plans.

China is already buying Iranian crude lipid astatine a discount arsenic Beijing grapples pinch a natural-gas shortage, he explained.

Tehran, however, could respond to US restrictions by increasing its narration with the Eurasia-focused Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), arsenic good arsenic stepping up its atomic program.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed connected Wednesday that nan US predetermination would not impact his country.

“To us, it does not matter astatine each who has won nan American election, because our state and strategy relies connected its soul strength,” he was quoted by nan authorities news agency IRNA.

Trump’s run against Iran will apt beryllium informed by nan knowledge that its agents person many times tried to assassinate him since leaving office.

“People thin to return that worldly personally,” Mick Mulroy, a apical Pentagon charismatic focusing connected nan Middle eastbound successful Trump’s first term, told nan Wall Street Journal. 

“If he’s going to beryllium hawkish connected immoderate peculiar country, designated awesome adversaries, it’s Iran.”