Trump To Restore ‘Max Pressure’ On Iran With EO Aimed At Driving Its ‘Oil Exports To Zero’

It’s long been anticipated and expected, but now it’s happening within just the first couple weeks of the new administration alongside Trump’s threat to strangle the Russian economy by orchestrating a global oil price collapse (perhaps a likely bluff meant to gain leverage at the negotiating table, however)…

President Donald Trump will sign executive order on Tuesday restoring “maximum pressure” on Iran, Reuters is reporting, citing a US official. This is with the intended aim of thwarting all paths of the Islamic Republic toward a nuclear weapon.

The US official also cited Iran’s “malign influence” in the Mideast region and de facto state of war with Israel, including support for regional militants who attack Israeli territory and interests.

“The official told Reuters that Trump’s directive orders the US Treasury Secretary to impose ‘maximum economic pressure’ on Iran, including sanctions and enforcement mechanisms on those violating existing sanctions. The directive is aimed at denying Iran ‘all paths to a nuclear weapon’ and countering ‘Iran’s malign influence’ according to the official.”

Crucially, there’s this line in the breaking Reuters report:

The US Secretary of State will modify or rescind existing sanctions waivers and cooperate with the treasury to implement a campaign “aimed at driving Iran’s oil exports to zero,” the official added.

Trump famously unilaterally withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal on May 8, 2018 – which had initially been implemented under Obama in 2015.

WTI bounced about $2.00 in very short order on the fresh Reuters headline and newswires…

Republican hawks have always blasted it as a ‘bad deal’ and have opted for a high pressure approach based on refusal of any potential rapprochement or diplomatic means of thwarting potential Iranian nuclear ambitions. Trump on the campaign trail railed against Biden’s policy too.

But Trump has lately shown he favors peace in the Mideast and lasting solutions to a volatile oil rich region, as Middle East Eye comments:

Evidence underscores Trump’s willingness to seek peace in the Middle East. Even before his reelection, Trump sent a clear message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the Gaza war before his inauguration. This was not mere posturing; Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, reportedly pressured Netanyahu into a ceasefire. 

A particularly striking development involves Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs, who recently argued in a video that Netanyahu played a key role in steering the US into two prior regional wars. On 7 January, Trump amplified these claims by sharing on Truth Social the video, in which Sachs provocatively refers to Netanyahu as a “deep, dark son of a bitch”. 

Many viewed it as a calculated signal from Trump to Netanyahu: “I’m watching you.”

Thus this new impending Iran executive order restoring maximum sanctions could be part of Trump’s calculated ‘big stick’ approach to negotiations wherein a future ‘better deal’ could be reached with Tehran.