On Tuesday, U.S. President Trump reinstated his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, aiming to reduce its oil exports to zero in order to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. This decision, made in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marks a return to Washington's tough stance on Iran from Trump's first term in office.
While signing the memo, Trump emphasized its rigor and confessed to being conflicted about the decision. He expressed a willingness to negotiate with Iran but reiterated his stance that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, emphasizing the urgency by stating that They're too close to obtaining one.
The Iranian mission at the United Nations did not immediately comment on Trump's actions. The president criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for what he perceives as lax enforcement of oil-export sanctions, which he believes fuels Iran's nuclear ambitions and support for militias in the Middle East.
Trump's memorandum instructs the U.S. Treasury Secretary to impose "maximum economic pressure" on Iran through sanctions and enforcement, including measures to bring Iran's oil exports down to zero. This move aims to counterbalance the recent tensions with China over tariffs.
Despite denials from Iran about seeking nuclear weapons, reports from the U.N. nuclear watchdog indicate an increase in uranium enrichment to 60% purity. Trump's administration intends to apply the 2024 Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) law rigorously to restrict Iranian oil exports by targeting foreign ports and refineries involved in processing Iranian petroleum.
Acknowledging that China remains a staunch buyer of Iranian oil, Trump directed his U.N. ambassador to collaborate with allies to reinstate international sanctions on Iran. Britain, France, and Germany stand prepared to trigger the snapback mechanism under the 2015 nuclear deal to prevent Iran from nuclear proliferation.
The U.S. withdrew from the deal in 2018, leading Iran to scale back its commitments. Efforts to reinstate sanctions in 2020 were rejected by the U.N. Security Council. The impending expiration of the 2015 U.N. resolution limits future actions, prompting European powers to engage with Iran in attempts to diffuse tensions surrounding its nuclear activities.