President Donald Trump has reinstated his administration’s "maximum pressure" policy on Iran through a new executive order signed on Tuesday. This move, which mirrors actions taken during his first term, aims to intensify financial sanctions against the Iranian government, which has long been designated as a leading state sponsor of terrorism.
The executive order is part of a broader strategy that includes withdrawing the United States from several United Nations agencies, such as the Human Rights Council and UNESCO. The Department of the Treasury is tasked with enforcing these sanctions, which are designed to restrict the flow of funds to the Iranian regime, thereby limiting its ability to support terrorist activities.
Iran is known for funding a variety of militant groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, and is estimated to allocate around $1 billion annually to these causes. According to former officials, Iran spends approximately $700 million on Hezbollah alone and another $100 million on various Palestinian groups, including Hamas.
During his previous term, Trump implemented stringent sanctions that significantly curtailed Iran’s influence in the Middle East. Notably, he designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization and ordered the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of the IRGC’s Quds Force, in 2020. Soleimani was seen as a key figure coordinating Iran’s network of proxy groups, and his death was viewed as a major setback for Tehran’s operational capabilities.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Iranian government has sought legal action against Trump and several of his former officials, demanding $50 billion in compensation for the Soleimani airstrike. This ruling, issued by a Tehran court in 2023, has been largely disregarded by the defendants.
The tensions between the U.S. and Iran have escalated, with some Iranian officials openly calling for Trump’s assassination. Following Soleimani’s funeral, a speaker suggested a crowd-funded bounty of $80 million for anyone who would carry out such an act. In response to these threats, Trump issued a stark warning during the signing of the executive order, stating that any attempt on his life would result in severe retaliation against Iran.
Trump’s comments echoed his previous warnings to Iran regarding its nuclear ambitions, where he emphasized the serious consequences of restarting their nuclear program. His administration’s aggressive stance contrasts sharply with the policies of President Joe Biden, who sought to engage Iran through diplomatic means and offered concessions in hopes of curbing its terrorist activities. Biden’s administration has faced criticism for allowing Iran access to previously frozen funds and for lifting sanctions on certain Iranian officials.
The backdrop to these developments includes the recent escalation of violence in the region, highlighted by the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel, which have been linked to Iranian support. Following the attacks, Iran celebrated the actions of its proxy, further straining relations with the U.S. and its allies.
As the situation continues to unfold, the reinstatement of the "maximum pressure" policy signals a return to a more confrontational approach towards Iran, with potential implications for regional stability and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.