Washington announces “maximum pressure campaign” against the Islamic Republic, which could hit back against US military forces stationed in the region
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran on Friday for a series of rocket attacks on Iraqi military bases where American troops were also present. Pompeo warned Tehran of a “decisive” response if US interests are harmed in Iraq.
Washington has repeatedly accused Iran of meddling in internal Iraqi affairs and supporting Shiite groups in Iraq.
The latest rise in tension follows an announcement last week by Washington that new economic sanctions targeting Iran’s shipping industry and its biggest airline would be imposed.
US President Donald Trump has called it a “maximum pressure campaign” against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The fresh round of sanctions is against Iran’s state shipping line and a China-based company that has been involved in delivering missile parts to Iran. They also add new penalties to a previously sanctioned Iranian airline, Mahan Air, which is accused of sending weapons to Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Yemen, and three of its sales agents.
Prof. Mohammad Marandi, head of the American Studies Department at Tehran University, told The Media Line that the new sanctions amount to a declaration of war on the Iranian people.
“This is a continuation of the US economic war against women and children. The US regime is trying to make ordinary people suffer as much as possible.”
The crippling US sanctions on Iran have greatly affected its economy, which has fallen into a deep recession. Its currency lost much of its value, unemployment skyrocketed and prices of basic goods spiraled.
Last month, a hike in the price of gasoline sparked massive protests throughout the country that lasted for weeks.
These protests were met with an iron fist. More than 100 demonstrators are believed to have been killed across Iran since leaders ordered security forces to stamp out protests triggered by the fuel price rises, human rights watchdog Amnesty International reported.
The United Nations said that at least 7,000 people have “reportedly” been arrested in the demonstrations in Iran.
Prof. Marandi blames the recent violence on the government’s economic policy and on foreign elements.
“The protests were because of bad policy decisions by the Rouhani administration, but they passed peacefully. The riots, on the other hand, were extremely violent, very well-coordinated, and backed by Farsi language media outlets funded by Western governments as well as the Saudis. BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Iran International along with the MEK terrorist organization worked hard to create fear, confusion, and sedition,” Marandi said.
Irani-based freelance journalist Mehdi Mahmoudi told The Media Line that the Trump administration is trying to “suffocate” Tehran.
“New sanctions are in the context of maximum US pressure against Iran and I think the US is trying to close all of the remaining ways and holes that help Iran bypass sanctions,” Mahmoudi said.
The Trump administration, Mahmoudi said, was out of ways to pressure Tehran and was desperate to bring it to the negotiating table.
“The US has resorted to these sanctions because it can’t use a military option against Iran, so the sanctions tool is the only and the best option for the US,” Mahmoudi said.
The prospect of direct talks between Iran and the US is slim but limited and indirect talks are possible, as in the recent prisoner swap.
Hassan Awwad, a US-based expert on the Middle East, says the US administration’s sanctions on Iran may lead to a full economic blockade, but Tehran won’t stand idle.
“The US is using sanctions to exert pressure on Iran but Tehran has its own pressure tools and is able to inflict damage in the region.”
Awwad was referring to the alleged Iranian drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities in September, and Iranian forces and proxies in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.
“If Iran is backed into a corner,” says Awwad, “it may have no choice but to resort to these tools, which may spark a military confrontation between the US and Iran.”