Senior US Official: America Doubles Down on ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign in Iran
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has shown no signs that it is easing up on its “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran as the United States seeks to ramp up pressure on the international community to extend the arms embargo on Tehran.
“The Iranian regime is weaker today than when we took office three years ago, and so are its proxies. The regime is facing its worst-ever economic crisis in its history. It is facing a crisis of legitimacy and credibility with its own people,” Brian Hook, who serves as the U.S. special representative for Iran, told JNS.
Iran has definitely been an administrative priority of late. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced sanctions on a Chinese company doing business with an Iranian airline on May 19; the next day, the United States announced another round of sanctions targeting Iran’s interior minister, as well as senior law-enforcement officials over allegations of grave human-rights abuses.
On Wednesday, Pompeo went further and announced the end to the waivers that have allowed Russian, Chinese and European companies to continuously operate at Iranian nuclear facilities.
“The Iranian regime has continued its nuclear brinkmanship by expanding proliferation sensitive activities,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
Read More: JNS