Trump, Netanyahu agree to target Iranian oil exports to pressure regime – report

President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly decide to pursue “maximum pressure” against Iranian regime, targeting Iran’s economy while military buildup continues amid ongoing attempts at diplomacy.

By World Israel News Staff

The United States and Israel have agreed to pursue a policy of “maximum pressure” on the Iranian regime by targeting the Islamic Republic’s oil exports, two US officials have said, according to Axios.

On Saturday night, Axios reported that during their meeting at the White House on Wednesday, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed that the US will significantly increase efforts to apply economic pressure to the Iranian regime, even as the Trump administration continues to engage Tehran diplomatically.

One official cited in the report said that the US is slated to apply “maximum pressure” on Iran as part of a three-pronged approach to the regime.

“We agreed that we will go full force with maximum pressure against Iran, for example, regarding Iranian oil sales to China,” the official said.

Currently, exports to China make up more than four-fifths of Iran’s foreign oil sales and are a critical source of foreign currency.

The two leaders reportedly agreed that economic pressure will be ratcheted up on Tehran while efforts at reaching a diplomatic solution continue in the hopes that the new steps will force Iran to make concessions.

Along with negotiations and the targeting of Iran’s oil exports, the US is continuing its military buildup in the Middle East, with a second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, dispatched to the region.

The US is expected to target Chinese oil imports from Iran both with an expanded naval blockade of Iran – seizing outgoing oil tankers – as well as with punitive tariffs on Beijing.

Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order enabling the imposition of tariff hikes of as much as 25% on countries that do business with Iran.

Talks between the US and Iran are expected to resume on Tuesday, with a summit planned in Geneva, after the first round of negotiations ended in Muscat, Oman, with no major progress.