US Economic Pressure On Tehran Continues To Hit Iran Hard

By William Tucker
Contributor, In Homeland Security

President Trump took to Twitter recently to warn Iran about threatening the United States. In his typical bombastic fashion, the President tweeted (in all capital letters) to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani: “Never, ever threaten the United States again or you will suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before.”

Although Iran began this week’s war of words with a warning to Washington, Rouhani answered Trump with a statement of his own. Rouhani replied, “America should know peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.”

Threats from Iran Are Commonplace

Threatening statements between the two nations are nothing new. Iran regularly threatens the “Great Satan,” a.k.a. the U.S., with fiery language in response to U.S. actions or simply because it’s Tuesday. The Iranian regime whips up sentiment among its loyalists to maintain its legitimacy.

However, there are internal issues that are pressuring the Tehran government more than usual.

There are long-standing tensions between the U.S. and Iran that have taken on a new dynamic since Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 nuclear accord.

Removal of Sanctions Permitted Iran’s Expansion into Syria and Iraq

Consider that once the nuclear deal was in place, the U.S. and the EU lifted many of the sanctions that Iran had been dealing with for decades. The resulting investment in Iran from foreign nations and companies was significant. Tehran used its newly found freedom of movement to insert itself ever deeper into the Syrian and Iraqi theaters.

That was not to last, of course. By pulling out of the nuclear accord, the Trump administration is preparing to reinstate some significant sanctions in addition to pressuring the international community to stop buying Iranian crude oil.

Iran is overextended in military matters and also economically. Protests erupted across the country over inflation and although opponents of Rouhani likely instigated these protests, they were not without merit.

Also, there were protests over water shortages in the south that further complicated matters for Tehran. Protests do not always signal impending doom for any regime, but they are noteworthy nonetheless.

Nuclear Deal Caused Political, Economic and Military Problems for Rouhani

It is accurate to say that the nuclear deal has cost Rouhani significant political capital, not to mention creating economic and military distress for him. These matters are not readily alleviated with a change in administration. Although the U.S. is talking tough, Trump has not ordered any increase in military assets to the region, nor has there been any change in posture of the U.S. forces already there.

Indeed, for the first time in years, the U.S. Fifth Fleet does not have a carrier in the Persian Gulf despite Iran’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz. Of course, Tehran threatens to close Hormuz whenever it sees any perceived U.S. military threat or, again, on any given Tuesday.

Granted, the U.S. can easily move military assets back into the region and reposition those assets that are already there. However, military action against Iran is simply not on Trump’s agenda. The President will follow the path that he has already chosen by answering threats from Iran and North Korea with economic means.

But Trump’s agenda can be modified. It is vital to remember that in this tête-à-tête, Iran gets a vote, too.

Tehran may be under significant pressure, but the Islamic Republic possesses tools that can harm U.S. interests. This standoff is not over, nor will it simply consist of rhetoric. Economic pressure now can certainly lead to something violent later.