Trump wants to introduce more sanctions against Iran before January 20: Reports

Two Israeli sources told Axios that the Trump administration’s envoy for Iran Elliott Abrams arrived in Israel on Sunday to discuss the sanctions plan, which should be enacted before Trump’s term ends on January 20.

Abrams has already met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and will meet with Israeli Minister of Defense Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Monday, according to Axios.

The Trump administration’s envoy for Iran will travel from Israel to Abu Dhabi and Riyadh to discuss the sanctions plan, Axios reported on Sunday, adding that, according to its sources, the planned "flood" of sanctions will increase pressure on Iran, making it potentially harder for the next administration to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

Former Virginia State Senator Richard Black told Sputnik on Saturday that while Joe Biden might not be able to reinstitute the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), "he may simply quietly have the same effect by dropping his objections to the European countries carrying out their obligations under the treaty."

In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with the P5+1 group of countries (the United States, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom - plus Germany) and the European Union. It required Iran to scale back its nuclear program and severely downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including lifting the arms embargo five years after the deal's adoption. In 2018, the US abandoned its conciliatory stance on Iran, withdrawing from the JCPOA and implementing hard-line policies against Tehran.

Spokesman for the Iranian government Ali Rabiei said in October that Tehran would welcome Washington’s return to the (JCPOA), also known as the Iranian nuclear deal, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said during a cabinet meeting on Sunday that the new US administration had a chance to reverse Trump’s policies on Iran and end the maximum pressure approach.