President Donald Trump has reinstated his "maximum pressure" policy on Iran, warning that the country would face complete destruction if it attempts to assassinate him.
"I have already issued directives. If Iran acts, they will be erased. There will be nothing left there," Trump declared on February 4, responding to a question at the White House about a scenario in which Iranian officials were linked to an assassination plot against him.
Tougher Measures Against Iran
Trump made the remarks while signing a memorandum instructing U.S. government agencies to draft a plan for a tougher stance on Iran, particularly targeting Tehran's nuclear program.
- He ordered the Treasury Secretary to enforce "maximum economic pressure", including secondary sanctions on countries that violate U.S. sanctions against Iran.
- The Treasury and State Departments were instructed to "drive Iran’s oil exports to zero."
- The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations was directed to work with allies to reinstate international sanctions and penalties against Iran, reversing the 2015 nuclear deal.
Trump admitted that signing the executive order was not an easy decision:
"I’ve thought about this for a long time. Everyone wanted me to sign it, so I did. This is a very strong action on Iran. I hope I won’t have to use it too much. I’m not happy signing this, but I don’t have many options left. We have to be strong, but we will work toward an agreement with Iran."
His aides claim that the order gives the president "every tool necessary" to prevent Iran from "acting against Washington."
Iran's Alleged Assassination Plots
The move reinstates Trump's hardline approach from his first term (2017-2020), during which he ordered the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Iranian leaders have since branded Trump an "enemy", vowing "fair revenge" against him.
- In 2020, an Iranian lawmaker placed a $3 million bounty on Trump’s head.
- In November 2024, the U.S. Justice Department charged Farhad Shakeri, a 51-year-old operative linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with plotting to assassinate Trump.
- Court documents revealed that Shakeri, an Afghan citizen living in Tehran, was allegedly tasked with planning the assassination.
- Two of his accomplices were arrested in the U.S., though they were not linked to the failed assassination attempts on Trump in July and September 2024.
Iran Denies Accusations
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the allegations in a January 14 interview on U.S. television, calling them fabricated efforts to demonize Iran:
"Israel and other nations are trying to blame us and fuel anti-Iran sentiment. Iran has never planned or attempted to assassinate anyone, including Trump."
Trump’s renewed maximum pressure campaign signals a dramatic escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions, raising concerns about potential military or economic retaliation.
(Sources: AP, Reuters, AFP)
