Latest news with #MaximumPressure
Wall Street Journal
24-06-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Trump Says China Can Buy Oil From Iran
President Trump said China can purchase Iranian oil, despite his administration's imposition of numerous sanctions designed to impede such trade. The U.S. has sanctioned Chinese refineries, port operators and other companies for importing Iranian crude as part of its broader "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran. 'China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the U.S., also,' Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. Roughly 90% of Iranian oil exports go to China. To evade sanctions, some traders have transported Iranian oil to China and other destinations using companies based in Malaysia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates.
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
GOP Rep.: American Airpower Obliterated Iran's Nuclear Ambitions—Rightfully So
For decades, Iran pursued nuclear weapons while remaining the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world—two realities that posed a serious threat to the free world. President Donald Trump was clear when he called for the complete and permanent suspension of Iran's nuclear program, giving them 60 days to take action toward lasting peace. Iran not only ignored America's good-faith diplomatic efforts, but accelerated their weapons program instead. When intelligence revealed Iran was weeks away from completing a nuclear weapon, our commander in chief acted decisively, and he called upon airpower to deliver strategic results. Operation Midnight Hammer decimated Iran's nuclear facilities, eliminating this imminent threat and sending an unmistakable message: America will secure peace through strength. Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas) speaks during a hearing on March 10, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas) speaks during a hearing on March 10, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Ting Shen-Pool/Getty Images As a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with over two decades of service in our nation's military, I've flown combat missions against the very terrorists funded and directed by the Iranian regime. I've led operations in the Middle East, shaped strategy from the Pentagon, and stood alongside our allies in NATO's air command and control center. I've seen firsthand the threat Iran poses, not just to Israel or the region, but to every American in uniform. President Trump is right: Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon. That is not negotiable. Tehran's relentless pursuit of nuclear capabilities, combined with its sponsorship of terrorism, makes it the most dangerous regime on the planet. Many presidents attempted to end Iran's nuclear program, but none were successful until President Trump unleashed America's military might to finish what others couldn't. I will always remember the Americans who never made it home because of Iranian proxies. And I know that strength—not appeasement—is the only language Iran understands. That's why Congress must act with the same fortitude. The Republican Study Committee's Maximum Pressure initiative includes 10 bills designed to cut off Tehran's remaining funding, freeze their assets, isolate their regime, and protect U.S. interests. My Iran Waiver Rescissions Act freezes all Iranian-sanctioned assets and is a key component of this effort. Other critical legislation in this package—including the Maximum Pressure Act—sanctions terrorist groups, blocks sanctions relief until Iran ends terror support, counters Hezbollah's influence in Latin America, supports Iraqi independence from Iran, and urges our European allies to restore multilateral sanctions. Together, these measures represent the most comprehensive legislative response to Iranian aggression in decades. Swift congressional action is not merely advisable—it is essential. The long-term threat posed by Iran to our forces is real and ongoing. With approximately 40,000 American servicemembers deployed across the Middle East, the stakes could not be higher. I was one of them from 2016 to 2017 when I led combat operations against ISIS. In January 2024, an Iranian backed group used a drone to kill three American soldiers and injure over 40 others at a base in Jordan. Since October 2023, our forces have been attacked hundreds of times in the Middle East. In the days ahead we must stay vigilant and ensure that any attack against U.S. forces will unleash the full might of the U.S. military. As chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, I led a hearing following the October 7 Hamas attacks. We know the Iranian regime tried to exploit weaknesses on our southern border. President Trump hardened the southern border, but four years of weak Joe Biden policies left us vulnerable. The One Big Beautiful Bill makes key enhancements at the border and mitigates vulnerabilities that terrorists like Iranian backed groups could exploit. This understanding of Iran's multi-faceted threat comes from decades of experience. While advising the Air Force chief of staff in the Pentagon during escalating tensions with adversary nations, I prepared leadership for meetings on the complexity of executing an air campaign within contested airspace. I served on President Trump's National Security Council coordinating defense policy and my war planning experience is shaped by over 300 hours of combat flight time. The flawlessly executed airstrikes that obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend are historic and demonstrate the unmatched power of our United States Air Force (USAF). The threat environment is more complex than we've ever seen. The capabilities of our adversaries are increasing and that is why we must keep pace with our own weapons systems. President Trump was absolutely right to acquire the F-47 fighter, after Biden cancelled it. Airpower offers the strength and deterrence that President Trump needs and we should double our spending on USAF programs to remain strong against China and other adversaries. I stand with our ally Israel and call on my colleagues in Congress to pass the Republican Study Committee's Maximum Pressure initiative bills to hold Iran accountable. My experience spans from the cockpit to the Pentagon, from the battlefield to the halls of Congress. The lesson is clear: this is not the time for weakness. This is the time for peace through strength, backed by American resolve and unrelenting firepower. August Pfluger represents Texas's 11th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. He is the chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) and sits on the House Committee on Energy & Commerce. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
The National
11-05-2025
- Business
- The National
US Democrat Jared Moskowitz says 'now is not the time' to appease Iran
Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz has said the Trump administration is being too soft on Iran. Mr Mokowitz's comments came shortly before the conclusion of a fourth round of talks in Oman between the US and Tehran regarding Iran's nuclear programme. Iran's Foreign Ministry described the latest negotiations as "difficult but useful" and said the next round would be co-ordinated and announced by Oman in due course. "Iran is the weakest they've been in a long time, now is not the time to appease them,' the Florida Democrat told Fox News Sunday. "Now is the time to put maximum pressure on them and make sure that we dismantle the nuclear programme. I'm not saying we should start bombing the facility, but I'm saying all options should be on the table, right?' Also on the show, Republican Senator Tom Cotton said he spoke to Steve Witkoff, the US envoy to the Middle East who led the US delegation in Oman, shortly before his departure for the talks. 'He's been very clear what President Trump's position is, and that position is that Iran cannot have the ability to enrich uranium," Mr Cotton said. "That's really the critical path to getting a nuclear weapon. So they can't have centrifuges. That's the unified position of the American government. That's been our position for many years.' Mr Cotton also echoed the sentiment of Mr Mokowitz questioning internal stability and insisting on the potential vulnerabilities in Iran as a whole. "The President believes it's possible to get a deal with Iran because of the pressure we've put on them, because of the economic pressure we've put on them and because, frankly, the ayatollahs are scared to death of Donald Trump, and they have been for eight years," he said. The latest talks between the US and Iran figured large on both the cable and network versions of Fox programming on Sunday. When asked about the discussions on Fox and Friends Weekend Edition, US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, however, pivoted to the topic of Mr Trump's much-anticipated visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. 'The President's agenda at home here is peace and prosperity in the US, and he has the same agenda for the Middle East, peace and prosperity for that region, which is achievable and within reach, but takes bold leadership and not the previous administration's sole focus on the biggest troublemaker in the region,' Mr Wright said. 'We're going to visit our allies." Mr Trump, who withdrew Washington from the 2015 deal between Tehran and world powers that was meant to curb Tehran's nuclear activities, has previously threatened to bomb Iran if no new deal is reached to resolve the long-running dispute. Tehran has accelerated its enrichment programme since the previous deal collapsed but says it is purely for civilian purposes. Although the US and Iran have reported progress in the latest talks, few details have been released. Mr Trump has suggested Iran would be a 'great, happy country' if it signs an agreement, but he has also pursued a 'maximum pressure' campaign built around tough sanctions aimed at shutting off Iranian oil exports. Mr Cotton blamed former president Barack Obama for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the nuclear deal was known, giving Iran too much leeway. "Barack Obama's deal allowed them to have centrifuges and a vast nuclear infrastructure to enrich uranium,' he said. "What you see here is the difference between, on the one hand, President Trump's America-first approach, which recognises the moral threat that a nuclear Iran poses to the United States, and what you might call the 'blame America first' mindset, which says a bad deal is better than going to war ... that's what Obama used to say.' Mr Cotton said Mr Trump rejects that mindset. A senior Trump administration official said that the discussions on Sunday in Oman lasted more than three hours. "Agreement was reached to move forward with the talks to continue working through technical elements," the source said. "We are encouraged by today's outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future."
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pfluger introduces bills to impose maximum pressure on Iran
Apr. 2—WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, announced the introduction of two pieces of legislation as part of the RSC's "Enforcing Maximum Pressure" initiative to hold the Iranian regime accountable. During the RSC press conference announcing this legislation, Pfluger said, "President Trump has not just earned our gratitude, he deserves unwavering support as he revives the maximum pressure campaign against Iran's leaders — the world's most dangerous state sponsors of terrorism. The Iranian regime is not just a threat, its leaders are a genocidal death cult. Make no mistake about their strategy — they view Israel's destruction as the beginning of their evil plans." The No Iranian Energy Act sanctions the importation of Iranian natural gas to Iraq, cutting off their lifeline. This is necessary as recently, the sanctions waiver for electricity transmission from Iran expired in line with President Trump's NSPM-2. With Iranian gas imports accounting for roughly 8.8 GW of power generation, additional action is needed to cut off this revenue stream for the regime in Tehran, a news release said. The Iran Waiver Recissions Act would permanently freeze all Iranian-sanctioned assets and prohibit the President from using any waiver authority, including licenses, guidance, or FAQs, to lift sanctions. Last Congress, this legislation passed the House 259-160 with bipartisan support. Pfluger's bills were introduced alongside nine other pieces of legislation championed by other House Republicans and RSC members. This package of bills aims to codify President Trump's maximum pressure campaign against Iran and is the toughest Iran sanctions package ever proposed by Congress, the release said.
Shafaq News
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Letter exchange: US, Iran clash over nuclear talks, military threat looms
Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump's letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposed new nuclear talks and warned of potential military action if no agreement was reached within two months. The letter, delivered via Omani mediation, emphasized a 'historic opportunity' to mend relations, offering economic incentives while warning of "decisive and swift" consequences if Iran refused to negotiate. 🟢 انشر لكم نص الرسالة التي بعثها الرئيس الامريكي @realDonaldTrump للمرشد الايراني الاعلى @ar_khamenei دون تعديل ومترجمة للغة العربية . لا اريد التعليق لانها تتحدث عن نفسها . وفي مايلي نص الرسالة :جناب آية الله خامنئي،مع الاحترام لمكانة قيادتكم ولشعب إيران، أكتب لكم هذه… — محمد صالح صدقیان (@msedghian) March 28, 2025 In his response, Khamenei dismissed the letter as " deceptive," accusing the US of using negotiations as a pretext to impose further sanctions and exert pressure on Tehran. He publicly declared that Iran would not engage in direct talks under Washington's Maximum Pressure campaign, which he described as economic warfare. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Iran had officially responded to Trump's letter, sending its reply through Oman. He stated that while Iran refused direct negotiations, it remained open to indirect talks to assess US intentions and present its own conditions. Iran's formal response outlined its 'grievances' with US policies, condemning Washington's 'contradictory stance' of pushing for dialogue while intensifying sanctions. Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Khamenei, reiterated that Iran had not shut all doors to resolving disputes but insisted that progress required a fundamental shift in US policy. The exchange occurred amid escalating tensions over Iran's nuclear program. Since Trump withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran has expanded its uranium enrichment activities beyond the agreement's limits. Western powers have accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities, a claim Tehran denies, asserting its program is for civilian purposes. Adding to the stakes, the US recently deployed B-2 stealth bombers to the Diego Garcia military base. US officials indicated that the deployment was "not disconnected" from Trump's two-month deadline, signaling military preparedness.
