President Donald Trump on Tuesday reimposed a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. The move brings back the tough-on-Tehran policy that Trump enacted in his first term.
As Trump signed the presidential memorandum that restores the policy, he told reporters that he was torn on whether to issue it. “We don’t want to be tough on Iran, we don’t want to be tough on anybody, but they just can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump said reports that the United States plans, with Israel, to “blow Iran into smithereens” were “greatly exaggerated.” Trump continued: “I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper.”
The Tuesday memo directs the State Department to ramp up sanctions on Iran and to work with the Treasury Department to “drive Iran’s export of oil to zero.”
Trump signed the memo ahead of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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