Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Wednesday, February 5, that US President Donald Trump’s renewed “maximum pressure” policy against Iran is destined to fail, just as it did during his first term.
During Trump’s first term, which ended in 2021, his administration withdrew the US from the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reinstated heavy economic sanctions on Iran. The JCPOA had placed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Tehran initially complied with the agreement but began rolling back its commitments a year after the US withdrawal. Subsequent efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal have stalled.
On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order reinstating the “maximum pressure” policy, citing allegations that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities. Iran has consistently denied these claims, asserting that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.
“I believe that maximum pressure is a failed experiment, and attempting it again will only result in another failure,” Araghchi told reporters after a cabinet meeting, emphasizing that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons.
“If the primary concern is ensuring Iran does not pursue nuclear weapons, that objective is both achievable and not an issue,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s nuclear agency, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), stating, “Iran does not have, and will not have, a nuclear weapons program.”
A religious decree (fatwa) issued by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority in Iran, explicitly forbids the development or possession of nuclear weapons.
