Iran calls on Trump to change 'maximum pressure' policy

According to AFP news agency, on November 9, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif urged President-elect Donald Trump to reconsider the "maximum pressure" policy he pursued against Tehran during his first term.

"Mr. Trump must prove that he is not pursuing the wrong policies of the past," Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, told reporters.

Zarif, a veteran diplomat who served as Iran's foreign minister, helped seal the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and Western powers, including the United States. But the deal collapsed in 2018 after Washington unilaterally withdrew from the deal under Trump, who then reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

In response, Tehran abandoned its obligations under the nuclear deal and has since enriched uranium to 60%, just 30% below nuclear levels. Iran has repeatedly denied Western accusations that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

AFP news agency reported that Vice President Zarif also said that Mr. Trump's political approach to Iran had led to an increase in uranium enrichment levels.

“He must have realized that the maximum pressure policy he initiated has increased Iran’s enrichment level from 3.5% to 60%,” Zarif said. “As a calculating person, Trump should recalculate and consider what are the pros and cons of this policy and whether he wants to continue or change this harmful policy,” Zarif added.

Earlier, on November 7, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said he hoped the US president-elect's return to the White House would allow Washington to "correct past wrong approaches."

On November 5, Mr. Trump told reporters that he "doesn't want to hurt Iran."

"My terms are very easy. They can't have nuclear weapons. I want them to be a very successful country," he said after the vote.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on November 8 quoted sources as saying that President-elect Trump is considering imposing additional sanctions on Iran, aiming to weaken the country's ability to support organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

The plan is seen as an upgraded version of the "maximum pressure" strategy that Mr. Trump applied during his first term.

This time, the intensity may increase due to allegations that Tehran planned to assassinate him and his top security advisers after he left office, according to the WSJ.

Mr Trump has long been known for his hardline stance on Iran. In his first term, he withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal – an agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. He said the deal did not go far enough to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and reimposed oil, trade and financial sanctions.

In 2020, Mr. Trump ordered the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Quds Force, escalating tensions between the two countries.

According to WSJ, Mr. Trump's team has planned to reduce Iran's oil revenue, including closely monitoring seaports and cracking down on foreign traders trading with Iran.

Mr Trump will also intensify his efforts to isolate Iran financially and diplomatically, while exploiting Tehran's internal weaknesses, a former White House official said.

These moves come amid conflict in the Middle East, with Israel facing Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon – two groups backed by Iran.