Netanyahu Praises Trump for Reimposing Sanctions on Iran

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, praised the U.S. President for reinstating sanctions on Iran following the dismantling of the JCPOA, calling it a "historic action." On November 4, Netanyahu stated, "President Trump, thank you. The sanctions are really coming back." The U.S. government, as expected over the past three months, announced that the lifted sanctions following the JCPOA would be reactivated starting November 5. Donald Trump, who considers the JCPOA an imperfect agreement that did not prevent the "destructive" actions of the Islamic Republic, withdrew from the nuclear deal made during Barack Obama's administration between the U.S., Germany, France, the UK, China, Russia, and Iran. Three months ago, the first round of U.S. sanctions returned, and now more severe sanctions are set to be implemented. These sanctions include ports and shipping, transactions related to the oil industry, transactions of foreign financial institutions with sanctioned financial entities, provision of certain financial services to relevant entities, and the energy sector. Starting from November 5, individuals and entities listed in the U.S. Treasury Department's sanctions list, which were not subject to sanctions after the JCPOA, will once again be targeted by sanctions, and licenses issued to American companies for trade with Iran will also be revoked. Other parties to the nuclear agreement with Iran remain involved. The Israeli government, under Netanyahu's leadership, was one of the main critics of the JCPOA during Obama's presidency. In a statement released on Saturday, he wrote, "For years, I have called for the full imposition and enforcement of sanctions against the terrorist regime of Iran; a regime that poses a threat to the entire world." The Israeli Prime Minister stated that the consequences of the first round of sanctions, which returned in the summer, are "already being felt." He added, "The value of the rial has fallen, the Iranian economy is under pressure, and the results (of the sanctions' return) are clear." Trump stated that Iranian officials will finally "use their intelligence" and agree to negotiate. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic also verbally attacked the U.S. the day after the full sanctions were announced, stating that Washington's sanctions against Tehran are "not a new action." However, various figures both inside and outside of Iran have raised doubts about these statements and Iran's preparedness against sanctions. Recently, over a hundred political activists inside and outside Iran issued a statement calling for "unconditional and direct negotiations" between Iran and the U.S. The head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament also mentioned on November 1 that the implementation of the European proposal package to Iran to counter sanctions is contingent on potential "de-escalation" between Iran and the U.S. Donald Trump stated yesterday that Iranian officials will finally "use their intelligence" and agree to negotiate a new deal. Trump is seeking an agreement that encompasses a range of Iranian actions, from its nuclear program to its missile program and regional influence. In the statements of the highest authority of the Islamic Republic, who is effectively the final decision-maker regarding negotiations with the U.S., no flexibility regarding negotiations with Washington is currently visible. The Iranian government has previously conditioned negotiations on the implementation of the agreement with the previous U.S. administration, stating that a better agreement cannot be achieved.