White House to VOA: Trump's 'Maximum Pressure' Campaign Returns Against the Islamic Republic

A White House official told VOA that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, will issue an executive order on Tuesday, February 5, to reinstate the maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic. An earlier statement from a U.S. official to Reuters indicated that the President aims to block all pathways for the Iranian government to acquire nuclear weapons with this action. According to this U.S. official, Trump will instruct the U.S. Treasury Secretary to impose 'maximum economic pressure' on the Islamic Republic. This will include 'enforcement of sanctions' and 'implementation of executive mechanisms against violators of existing sanctions.' The U.S. official added that as part of this maximum pressure effort, the Trump administration will launch a campaign 'aimed at reducing Iranian oil exports to zero.' He also told Reuters that the U.S. mission to the United Nations will work with America's key allies 'to complete the process of the immediate reinstatement of sanctions and international restrictions' against the Islamic Republic. Previously, Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, discussed the 'maximum pressure campaign' against the Islamic Republic of Iran in an interview with Fox News, published on the U.S. State Department's website on Monday, February 4. In this interview, Rubio was asked whether the 'maximum pressure campaign' against the Islamic Republic would return. He emphasized that Washington must exert more pressure on [the Islamic Republic] to stop its activities, which he claims are aimed at 'acquiring nuclear weapons.' He did not specifically use the term maximum pressure in this interview. The Islamic Republic has long claimed it is not seeking nuclear weapons. However, various officials have threatened in recent months, especially after suffering significant blows from Israel and the ineffectiveness of its missile attacks on Israel, that it may change its 'nuclear doctrine,' which is a threat regarding the construction of nuclear weapons. Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday to discuss various issues, including Iran. This will be Trump's first official meeting with a foreign leader in the White House during his second term. Abbas Araqchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, warned in an interview with Al Jazeera, aired on Friday, that if there is an attack on nuclear facilities in Iran, the Islamic Republic will respond immediately and decisively, and such an action will lead to 'all-out war in the region.' Araqchi emphasized that a military attack by Israel and the U.S. on Iran's nuclear facilities would be 'one of the biggest historical mistakes of America.' Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Benjamin Netanyahu stated in an interview with the Jerusalem Post that Israel would act against the Islamic Republic without U.S. approval if necessary. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration has asked U.S. congressional leaders to approve the transfer of about one billion dollars in bombs, munitions, and other military equipment to Israel. The planned sale to Israel includes 4,700 1,000-pound bombs worth over 700 million dollars and armored bulldozers from Caterpillar worth over 300 million dollars. This sale is separate from Trump's previous action to lift the suspension of the delivery of 2,000-pound American bombs to Israel that the Biden administration had imposed. The President previously stated on January 24 that 'if issues with [the Islamic Republic] can be resolved without Israel targeting military facilities, it would be good.'