Rather reluctantly, President Donald Trump has signed a national security memorandum restoring a maximum pressure campaign against Iran.
The memorandum orders the U.S. Treasury Department to “implement a robust and continual sanctions enforcement campaign with respect to Iran that denies the regime and its terror proxies access to revenue.”
Among other measures, the State Department is charged with conducting “a robust and continual campaign, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury and other relevant executive departments or agencies, to drive Iran’s export of oil to zero.”
President Trump told reporters he was “torn” about signing the memorandum.
“It’s very tough on Iran. It’s what we had before. ... [B]ut hopefully, we’re not going to have to use it very much. We will see whether or not we can arrange or work out a deal with Iran. And everybody can live together. And maybe that’s possible and maybe it’s not possible. So, I’m signing this and I’m unhappy to do it. But I really have not so much choice because we have to be strong and firm.”
President Trump was clear on what is not negotiable:
“With me, it’s very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Later, at a press briefing, President Trump spoke of the benefits achieved by the maximum pressure campaign against Iran when he implemented it in his first term:
“Iran was not able to sell oil. ... Hamas was not being funded. Hezbollah was not being funded. Nobody was being funded.”
President Trump spoke directly to those whom he said, “were listening very intently” in Iran:
“I would love to be able to make a great deal, a deal where you can get on with your lives and you’ll do wonderfully. You’ll do wonderfully. Incredible people. Industrious, beautiful, just an unbelievable group of people in Iran.”
“I really want peace. And I hope that we’re able to do that,” declared President Trump. But, he added, “They cannot have a nuclear weapon. And if I think they will have a nuclear weapon, despite what I just said, then that’s going to be very unfortunate for them. If, on the other hand, they can convince us that they won’t, and I hope they can ... I think they’re going to have an unbelievable future.
