During the presidential campaign, Trump did not say if he would use the same policies against Iran. But his name for secretary of state, Senator Marco Rubio, is a strong supporter of this approach to Iran. In a post on the X social network, Rubio said that “only through maximum pressure and direct and disproportionate measures there is an opportunity to change their criminal actions”
Iran is expected to be upward on the foreign policy agenda of Trump’s future administration. The Islamic Republic has been involved in conflict with the US main ally in the Middle East, Israel, while at the same time advanced the nuclear program. Voice of America’s correspondent, Michael Lipin, analyzes what is expected to happen during the administration of the elected President Donald Trump about Iran.
During the presidential election campaign this year, Mr. Trump held a reconciliation approach with Iran, an opposing country of the United States, which he during his first term as president placed economic specimens and kept under military pressure . “I don’t want to be bad with Iran. Hope we will be friendly with Iran. Maybe. Maybe not. But they may not have a nuclear weapon. They will never have a nuclear weapon, ”Mr Trump said during the presidential campaign. Iranian Islamic leaders warned this year that they could give up a promise of not developing nuclear weapons if there is an external threat that risks their survival.
In his first term, Trump withdrew from a 2015 agreement that Iran made with the world powers to limit his nuclear program in exchange for facilitating sanctions. Trump said he sought a new deal that would be tougher to Tehran. During September a journalist asked him if he still wanted to negotiate with Iran.
“Of course I would do it. We have to make an agreement because there will be consequences, ”he said. In October, during an interview Trump was asked if he wishes to see the Iranian Islamic leaders replaced by the monarchy, which they overturned in 1979. “We cannot get involved in these developments,” Trump said. The elected President of the United States reacted strongly to the Iranian ballistic missile attack on October 1 on Israel. As an example he also mentioned President Joe Biden’s statements that Israel should not hit Iranian nuclear objects in response. “I think he is wrong. The answer should be: Hit nuclear objects first then other objectives. ”
During his first term, Trump imposed sanctions on Iran, targeted by oil exports. Also, an American air attack in Baghdad eliminated the highest military commander, approaching Soleimani. During the presidential campaign, Trump did not say if he would use the same policies against Iran. But his nominee for Secretary of State, Senator Marco Rubio, is a strong supporter of this approach to Iran.
In a post on the social network X, Rubio said that “only through maximum pressure and direct and disproportionate measures there is an opportunity to change their criminal actions”. Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice said it has discovered an Iran’s plot to recruit an Afghan national to organize an assassination attempt on Trump before the election day. Tehran denied involvement. But Trump’s elected to the post of National Security Advisor said Iran should face consequences. “We have to send a strong and clear message that this is a red line that will never be tolerated for all our opponents and that will have great consequences. We have to restore braking measures, ”said Michael Waltz, Republican lawmaker.
What is not known about the President -elect Trump’s approach to Iran is what kind of new agreement he will look for and what he would do if he could not reach one. (VOA)
