TEHRAN:Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated on Wednesday that the reintroduction of the “maximum pressure” policy by US President Donald Trump will ultimately fail, just as it did during his previous term. Araghchi emphasized that this approach had already proven ineffective and would result in failure once again.
“I believe maximum pressure is a failed strategy, and reapplying it will only lead to another failure,” Araghchi told reporters after a cabinet meeting. He also reiterated that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons.
During his first term, which concluded in 2021, President Trump implemented a “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran, withdrawing the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and reinstating severe sanctions. This agreement had imposed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for relief from sanctions.
Tehran initially adhered to the deal but began scaling back its commitments one year after the US withdrawal. Efforts to revive the 2015 agreement have since faced significant obstacles.
On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order reinstating the “maximum pressure” policy, citing concerns over Iran’s potential pursuit of nuclear weapons. However, Iran continues to deny these allegations, maintaining that its nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.
