Politico Report on Trump's Team's Determination to Reinstate 'Maximum Pressure' Against Iran

Four officials from Donald Trump's previous administration and close associates in his campaign told Politico that the policies of the next President of the United States will align with the current situation in the Middle East while also reviving the 'maximum pressure' policy against Iran. This report, published on Friday, November 9, continues speculation about how Mr. Trump will address ongoing crises in the Middle East, particularly issues related to the Islamic Republic. A former Trump administration official, who spoke to Politico on the condition of anonymity, stated, 'Tightening the economic ring around Iran will be a priority from day one in foreign policy to begin clearing up Biden's chaotic situation in the Middle East.' These individuals also mentioned that the transition team for the new administration is simultaneously strengthening support for Israel while considering plans to impose a new wave of severe economic sanctions against Iran and attempting to cut off the country's oil exports. According to them, Trump will revive his 'maximum pressure' policy aimed at isolating the Islamic Republic of Iran, increasing economic pressure, and maintaining military threats as a deterrent. This comes at a time when the current Middle East is significantly different from the Middle East at the end of his first term in 2021. One official responsible for Middle Eastern affairs in Trump's previous administration told Politico that 'maximum pressure' does not mean that everything will resume from where Donald Trump left the White House. He emphasized that changes in the region will be taken into account. The Iranian government is under increasing pressure due to the weakening of its proxy forces in the region, while Israeli military operations in the Middle East have sparked severe global reactions due to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and Lebanon against the U.S. and Israel. On the other hand, the Islamic Republic is strengthening its cooperation with Russia in various fields, adding to the complexity of the Middle Eastern situation. Brian Hook, a former Trump administration official who will also be present in his new government, stated in an interview with CNN on Thursday, November 9, that the Iranian government is the main factor of instability in the Middle East and that the goal of the new Trump administration will be to isolate the Iranian government. Mr. Hook further stated that Donald Trump will 'diplomatically isolate Iran and weaken its economy' so that it cannot continue to finance the Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and its proxy groups in Iraq and Syria.