Khaberni - Axios reported that President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed during their meeting at the White House last Wednesday to vigorously pursue maximum pressure on Iran by reducing its oil exports to China, according to U.S. officials cited by the site.
China, which does not recognize American sanctions, is the largest importer of oil from Iran, with over 80% of Iranian oil exports going to it. Additionally, Beijing and Tehran have established a trading system that relies mostly on the Chinese yuan and a network of intermediaries to avoid dealing in dollars and exposure to U.S. regulatory authorities.
According to U.S. officials quoted by the site, the economic pressure on Iran might compel it to make greater concessions regarding its nuclear program. This would occur simultaneously with negotiations with Tehran and ongoing military enhancements in the Middle East in anticipation of possible strikes should the diplomatic path fail.
About 10 days earlier, Trump signed an executive order that could lead to imposing a 25% tariff on countries that engage in trade deals with Iran.
The economic escalation, if implemented, would complicate the already tense relationship between the United States and China, at a time when both nations are anticipating the results of a summit that will bring Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping together this coming April in Beijing.
According to Axios, Netanyahu and Trump agreed on their ultimate goal during their meeting, which is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, though they differed on the method to achieve it.
The site stated, citing American officials, that Netanyahu told Trump that negotiating a good deal is impossible and that even if an agreement is signed, Iran would not comply with it.
In contrast, Trump told Netanyahu he believes there is a chance to reach an agreement with Iran, adding "Let's see if it's possible. Let's try."
Axios, quoting a U.S. official, reported that Trump asked his advisers, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, about the chances of reaching a deal with Iran in recent days.
The site continued that Witkoff and Kushner told the American President that reaching a good agreement with Tehran is difficult, if not impossible, considering the historical context, but they also mentioned that the Iranians have so far been saying "all the right things."
The official explained that Kushner and Witkoff assured Trump that they would continue the negotiations with a firm stance, and if the Iranians agreed to a satisfactory deal, they would present it to him to decide whether he wants to proceed with it.
Arrangements for direct talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva, Switzerland next Tuesday are underway with Omani mediation, to discuss the nuclear dossier and peace efforts.
On February 6, Oman hosted indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran, and Trump announced that evening that new negotiations would be held "early" next week, without specifying an exact date.
The United States and its ally Israel accuse Iran of seeking to produce nuclear weapons, while the latter states that its program is designed for peaceful purposes, including electricity generation.
Tehran believes that Washington and Tel Aviv are concocting pretexts for military intervention and threatens to respond to any attack, adhering to the lifting of Western economic sanctions imposed on it in exchange for restricting its nuclear program.
