By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign a presidential memorandum on Tuesday that restores his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran and aims to deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon, a U.S. official said.
The move brings back the tough U.S. policy on Iran that Trump, a Republican, practiced throughout his first term. Trump has accused his Democratic predecessor, former President Joe Biden, of weakening U.S. resolve toward Iran.
The official told Reuters that Trump’s directive orders the U.S. Treasury secretary to impose “maximum economic pressure” on Iran, including sanctions and enforcement mechanisms on those violating existing sanctions.
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As part of the maximum pressure effort, the Trump administration will implement a campaign “aimed at driving Iran‘s oil exports to zero,” the official said.
Iran‘s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
U.S. representatives at the United Nations will work with key allies to “complete the snapback of international sanctions and restrictions on Iran,” the official said.
(Reporting by Steve Holland, additional reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Rod Nickel)
