Photo: Chip Somodevilla/AP
US President Donald Trump has resumed the policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran by signing a corresponding executive order. This was announced by the White House on Tuesday, 4 February. The main goal of the strategy is to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero, which, according to Washington, will deprive Tehran of funding for nuclear weapons and support for armed groups in the region.
Trump has criticised his predecessor Joe Biden, accusing him of lax control over oil sanctions, which allowed Iran to circumvent restrictions.
According to Reuters, the signed memorandum provides for increased sanctions pressure. The US Treasury Secretary was instructed to apply “maximum economic pressure”, including both new restrictions and mechanisms to monitor compliance with existing sanctions.
The news of increased pressure on Iran had an impact on global markets: in the US, oil prices partially recovered from the previous drop caused by the trade conflict with China.
Earlier, in December 2024, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned that Iran had made significant progress in developing nuclear weapons. The day before, on 3 February, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington should “put even more pressure on Tehran until it stops its actions”.
