Trump Administration Hopes to Make Iran Pressure Campaign Harder to Reverse
Officials plan counterterrorism sanctions, seen as politically more difficult to ease
WASHINGTON—The Trump administration plans a pre-election volley of sanctions against Iran intended in part to fortify its pressure campaign against any future effort to unwind it, according to people familiar with the matter.
With former Vice President Joe Bidenleading in most national and battleground state polls, Trump administration officials fear his plan to reengage with Iran could upend the diplomatic leverage they believe is critical to strong-arm Tehran into signing a new nuclear and security deal.
The Trump administration has levied some sanctions under counterterrorism authorities, which analysts view as the most potentially difficult to undo. The administration previewed further planned action, according to the people, in calling out sectors it views as critical to financing Iran’s terror-linked activities, including the petrochemical and metals industries, but highlighting Iran’s energy sector in particular.
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