Trump Planning “Maximum Pressure 2.0” Campaign Against Iranian Regime

 

President-elect Donald Trump is planning to reimpose strict sanctions on Iran, targeting its oil sales and economic activities to weaken Tehran’s support for regional militias and curb its nuclear program. According to sources close to Trump’s team who spoke with the Wall Street Journal, the new administration will adopt a “maximum pressure 2.0” approach, aiming to cut off Iran’s primary sources of income.

In his first term, Trump withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a multinational agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear activities, and introduced sanctions that reduced Iran’s oil exports to a fraction of prior levels. However, after President Joe Biden took office, oil exports from Iran rebounded, creating new challenges for the incoming administration, which intends to be more aggressive in targeting Iranian oil exports and related financial flows.

Sources say Trump’s advisors are discussing targeting Chinese ports that receive Iranian oil, as well as sanctions on Iraqi officials who support Iran-backed militias. Former U.S. energy official Robert McNally suggested that renewed sanctions could reduce Iranian oil sales by around 500,000 barrels a day, mainly from purchases by China.

In recent weeks, senior Trump advisors have also voiced support for a potential Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites. The previous Biden administration secured assurances from Israel not to target Iran’s nuclear facilities in recent operations, fearing an escalation. Trump’s team, however, may be more open to Israeli action against Iran’s critical infrastructure.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded Wednesday, insisting that Iran’s economy would not be influenced by the U.S. election outcome. Yet internal divisions within Iran reflect growing concerns over potential economic impacts from renewed U.S. sanctions, with some Iranian officials warning of potential setbacks for the country’s oil industry.

Despite these rising tensions, some advisors close to Trump do not rule out a diplomatic approach, as Trump is known to favor striking his own deals with key adversaries.