{"id":62339,"date":"2019-07-28T18:09:59","date_gmt":"2019-07-28T18:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/07\/28\/trumps-maximum-pressure-campaign-on-iran-faces-key-test\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:19:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:19:12","slug":"trumps-maximum-pressure-campaign-on-iran-faces-key-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/07\/28\/trumps-maximum-pressure-campaign-on-iran-faces-key-test\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump\u2019s \u2018maximum pressure\u2019 campaign on Iran faces key test"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cmaximum pressure\u201d campaign against Iran is at a crossroads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His administration is trying to decide whether to risk stoking international tensions even more by ending one of the last remaining components of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2019\/07\/15\/eu-works-to-save-unraveling-nuclear-agreement-with-iran\/\" target=\"_blank\">the 2015 nuclear deal<\/a>. The U.S. faces a Thursday deadline to decide whether to extend or cancel sanctions waivers to foreign companies working on Iran\u2019s civilian nuclear program as permitted under the deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ending the waivers would be the next logical step in the campaign and it\u2019s a move favored by Trump\u2019s allies in Congress who endorse a tough approach to Iran. But it also would <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/06\/17\/us-iran-should-still-comply-with-nuke-deal-trump-derided\/\" target=_blank>escalate tensions with Iran<\/a> and with some European allies, and two officials say a divided administration is likely to keep the waivers afloat with temporary extensions. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mere fact that the administration is divided on the issue \u2014 it\u2019s already postponed an announcement twice, according to the officials \u2014 is the latest in a series of confusing signals that Trump has sent over Iran, causing confusion among supporters and critics of the president about just what he hopes to achieve in the standoff with the Islamic Republic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some fear the mixed messages could trigger open conflict amid a buildup of U.S. military forces in the Persian Gulf region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s always a problem when you don\u2019t have a coherent policy because you are vulnerable to manipulation and the mixed messages have created the environment for dangerous miscalculation,\u201d said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. \u201cTrump has simultaneously provoked an escalatory cycle with Iran while also making clear to Iran that he is averse to conflict.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2019\/07\/19\/trump-im-not-worried-about-conflict-with-iran-but-they-will-pay-a-price-if-they-do-something-foolish\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19199690995232.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Trump: I\u2019m not worried about conflict with Iran, but they will \u2018pay a price\u2019 if they do something \u2018foolish\u2019<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The comments come after the Trump administration claimed that the Navy\u2019s amphibious assault ship Boxer took defensive action against a drone in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, after the drone got within 1,000 yards of the ship and ignored requests to back off.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The public face of the pressure campaign is Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he rejects suggestions the strategy is less than clear cut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAmerica has a strategy which we are convinced will work,\u201d he said this past week. \u201cWe will deny Iran the wealth to foment terror around the world and build out their nuclear program.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet the administration\u2019s recent actions \u2014 which included an unusual mediation effort by Kentucky\u2019s anti-interventionist Sen. Rand Paul \u2014 have frustrated some of Trump\u2019s closest allies on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. Those actions also have led to unease in Europe and Asia, where the administration\u2019s attempt to rally support for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2019\/07\/10\/us-proceeding-with-plan-for-coalition-to-deter-iran-threats\/\" target=\"_blank\">a coalition to protect ships<\/a> transiting the Gulf has drawn only lukewarm responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2019\/07\/24\/us-defense-secretary-aims-to-ensure-safe-passage-in-persian-gulf\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"185\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19204824659984.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US military aims to ensure safe passage of American commercial ships in Persian Gulf<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The U.S. military intends to protect American commercial ships against Iranian threats in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz but will not provide naval escorts in every case, the newly installed defense secretary said Wednesday.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump withdrew last year from the 2015 deal that Iran signed with the U.S., France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China. The agreement lifted punishing economic sanctions in exchange for limits on the Iranian nuclear program. Critics in the United States believed it didn\u2019t do enough to thwart Iranian efforts to develop nuclear weapons and enabled Iran to rebuild its economy and continue funding militants throughout the Middle East. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump, who called it \u201cthe worst deal in history,\u201d began reinstating sanctions, and they have hobbled an already weak Iranian economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Iran responded by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2019\/07\/08\/reports-iran-enriching-uranium-to-45-breaking-deal-limit\/\" target=\"_blank\">blowing through limits on its low-enriched uranium stockpiles<\/a> and announcing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/2019\/07\/07\/iran-said-it-will-raise-uranium-enrichment-sunday-adding-to-regional-tension\/\" target=\"_blank\">plans to enrich uranium<\/a> beyond levels permitted under the deal. Iran has taken increasingly provocative actions against ships in the Gulf, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/07\/19\/iran-says-it-seized-british-oil-tanker-in-strait-of-hormuz\/\" target=\"_blank\">the seizure of a British vessel<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/2019\/06\/20\/iran-revolutionary-guard-shoots-down-us-drone-amid-tensions\/\" target=\"_blank\">downing of a U.S. drone<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometime before Thursday, the administration will have to either cancel or extend waivers that allow European, Russian and Chinese companies to work in Iran\u2019s civilian nuclear facilities. The officials familiar with the \u201ccivil nuclear cooperation waivers\u201d say a decision in principle has been made to let them expire but that they are likely to be extended for 90 more days to allow companies time to wind down their operations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, Trump gave his blessing to Paul to meet last week with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was in New York to attend a U.N. meeting. Officials familiar with the development said Paul raised the idea with Trump at a golf outing and the president nodded his assent. <\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/07\/11\/us-urges-world-powers-to-reject-irans-nuclear-extortion\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"236\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19191473746688.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US urges world powers to reject Iran\u2019s \u2018nuclear extortion\u2019<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The United States admonished world powers seeking to preserve a deal with Iran on its atomic program on Wednesday not to give in to \u201cnuclear extortion\u201d from Tehran, which has breached the pact\u2019s limitations in recent days in an attempt to get them to provide economic incentives to offset American sanctions.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Deal critics, including Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, say the waivers should be revoked because they give Iran access to technology that could be used for weapons. In particular, they have targeted a waiver that allows conversion work at the once-secret Fordow site. The other facilities are the Bushehr nuclear power station, the Arak heavy water plant and the Tehran Research Reactor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Deal supporters say the waivers give international experts a valuable window into Iran\u2019s atomic program that might otherwise not exist. They also say some of the work, particularly on nuclear isotopes that can be used in medicine at the Tehran reactor, is humanitarian in nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump has been coy about his plans. He said this past week that \u201cit could go either way very easily. Very easily. And I\u2019m OK either way it goes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That vacillation has left administration hawks such as Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton in a quandary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bolton has long advocated military action against Iran with the goal of changing the Tehran government and, while Pompeo may agree, he is more sensitive to Trump\u2019s reluctance to military intervention, according to the officials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPompeo is trying to reconcile contradictory impulses by focusing on the means rather than ends, which is sanctions,\u201d said Sadjadpour. \u201cBut rather than bringing clarity, Trump has brought further confusion by promoting the idea of Rand Paul as an envoy.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This has given Iran an opening that it is trying to exploit, he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor years, the U.S. has tried to create fissures between hard-liners and moderates in Tehran and now Iran is trying to do the exact same thing in Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cmaximum pressure\u201d campaign against Iran is at a crossroads.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":75867,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":62,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,8,12,26,62],"tags":[],"coauthors":[472],"class_list":["post-62339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"VRBIDXNIIZHFLARQGQPYYCYFKA","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/07\/28\/trumps-maximum-pressure-campaign-on-iran-faces-key-test\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Trump\u2019s \u2018maximum pressure\u2019 campaign on Iran faces key test - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cmaximum pressure\u201d campaign against Iran is at a crossroads.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trump\u2019s \u2018maximum pressure\u2019 campaign on Iran faces key test\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cmaximum pressure\u201d campaign against Iran is at a crossroads.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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