The last of these Iranian signals came from the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkianwho stated that Tehran would not be able to ignore its arch enemy, USHe added: “Like it or not, we will have to deal with the United States on the regional and international arenas, so it is better for us to manage this relationship ourselves.”
These statements are consistent with what the Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said days after Trump’s victory, when he called on him to change the “wrong policies of the past,” saying: “As a man of calculations, he must do the calculations and see what are the advantages and disadvantages of this policy.” “And whether he wants to continue this harmful policy or change it.”
In 2018, former President Trump withdrew from The Iranian nuclear agreement concluded in 2015 with world powers, and imposed severe sanctions as part of its policy to put pressure on Iran, especially on the oil and financial sectors.
During his first term, Trump decided to assassinate the former commander of the Quds Force, Qassem SoleimaniIn an air strike in Baghdad in early 2020, which sparked great “anger” among the Iranian regime.
However, Trump stressed during his election campaign that he did not want to “harm Iran,” but at the same time he stressed that “they cannot have nuclear weapons.”
The Wall Street Journal quoted sources familiar with Trump’s plans as saying that the president-elect plans to tighten sanctions on Iran and “stifle its oil sales,” as part of a strategy aimed at undermining Tehran’s support for its agents in the Middle East and its nuclear program.
Perhaps Tehran’s decision, revealed by sources to Sky News Arabia, to postpone responding to Israel until after Trump assumes the presidency, comes as another sign of rapprochement with the American president-elect and the opening of a new page in relations, which allows avoiding the implementation of stricter policies that affect the economy. Iranian.
When the Iranian government spokeswoman, Fatima Mohajerani, was asked about the possibility of holding direct talks with the Trump administration, she said that her country “will seek to achieve everything that achieves its interests,” but the final decision remains in the hands of Supreme Leader Khamenei and the Supreme National Security Council.
The question remains as to what Iran can give up as a “token” for rapprochement with the Trump administration, and what it will adhere to under any pressure.
What will Iran stick to?
From London, Wijdan Abdel Rahman, a researcher specializing in Iranian affairs, believes in an interview with Sky News Arabia that Iran will remain committed to its arms in the region and its missile and nuclear projects, and will not back down from them during Trump’s second term, just as it will not abandon its regional arms. Rather, it will support them further, indicating this by talking about the possibility of supplying these arms with new weapons.
Abdul Rahman explained that it is the only thing you might give up Tehran It is the implementation of Operation “True Promise 3,” which was intended to respond to Israeli strikes targeting deep inside Iran, despite previous statements by Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei in which he pledged a “harsh response” against the United States and Israel.
Regarding Iran’s options for dealing with Trump, Abdul Rahman stressed that they are “very limited” in light of the extreme pressure imposed on it, especially after what is reported about Iranian attempts to assassinate Trump.
The US government has repeatedly raised concerns that Iran may attempt to retaliate for the assassination Qasem SoleimaniBy trying to kill Trump, who ordered the strike at the time.
Iran had previously “categorically” denied what the US Department of Justice revealed that Tehran planned to kill Trump before the 2024 presidential elections, after filing federal charges against three people who planned an operation that was thwarted.
The Iranian affairs researcher returned to saying that the Iranian Foreign Ministry is trying, through the statements of its minister, to reduce tension between the two parties, but this path will not be easy due to the control of the hard-line movement over the joints of Iranian institutions, which narrows Tehran’s options in dealing with the Trump administration.
Abdul Rahman believes that Trump’s “maximum pressure” policies will be more harsh in his second term, especially since Iran has crossed several red lines in recent years, including strengthening cooperation with Russia, directly targeting Israel, in addition to the expansion of its regional arms, and attempts to… Trump assassination.
He stressed that the team chosen by Trump reflects his orientation towards putting pressure on what the US administration describes as the “axis of evil”, which includes Iran, North Korea and Russia, but Tehran will be the biggest target in this policy, as Trump may work to reduce Iranian oil exports further. than it was in his first term, according to his opinion.
Additional penalties?
In an exclusive interview with Sky News Arabia, Ali Fayez, Director of Iran Affairs at the International Crisis Group, believes that the next American administration believes that the Iranian government represents a “hostile entity by nature” that threatens the interests of the United States and its allies, and must be confronted through economic pressure, diplomatic isolation, and even Resort to military action if necessary.
Fayez stressed that “Trump’s policy towards Iran is likely to aim to escalate primary and secondary sanctions, and he urged European allies to follow a tougher approach within the European Union and in international forums such as the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Nations, in addition to supporting regional partners to confront the resulting risks.” “On behalf of Iran directly or through its network of agents.”
A week after Trump’s victory was announced, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, began a visit to Iran, where he is scheduled to hold meetings with Iranian officials regarding their nuclear program.
