It’s long been anticipated and expected, but now it’s happening within just the first couple weeks of the new administration alongside Trump’s threat to strangle the Russian economy by orchestrating a global oil price collapse (perhaps a likely bluff meant to gain leverage at the negotiating table, however)…
President Donald Trump will sign executive order on Tuesday restoring “maximum pressure” on Iran, Reuters is reporting, citing a US official. This is with the intended aim of thwarting all paths of the Islamic Republic toward a nuclear weapon.
The US official also cited Iran’s “malign influence” in the Mideast region and de facto state of war with Israel, including support for regional militants who attack Israeli territory and interests.
“The official told Reuters that Trump’s directive orders the US Treasury Secretary to impose ‘maximum economic pressure’ on Iran, including sanctions and enforcement mechanisms on those violating existing sanctions. The directive is aimed at denying Iran ‘all paths to a nuclear weapon’ and countering ‘Iran’s malign influence’ according to the official.”
Crucially, there’s this line in the breaking Reuters report:
The US Secretary of State will modify or rescind existing sanctions waivers and cooperate with the treasury to implement a campaign “aimed at driving Iran’s oil exports to zero,” the official added.
Trump famously unilaterally withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal on May 8, 2018 – which had initially been implemented under Obama in 2015.
WTI bounced about $2.00 in very short order on the fresh Reuters headline and newswires…
Hellbound and Down 