"Maximum Pressure" Back for Iran

Tuesday February 4th the White House  issued a National Security Memorandum (NSM) directing multiple federal agencies to impose maximum pressure on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The memorandum outlines aggressive measures aimed at denying Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon, countering its regional influence, and disrupting its financial and military networks.

The document, addressed to senior U.S. officials including the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, and Homeland Security, mandates immediate actions to intensify economic, diplomatic, and law enforcement measures against Iran.

Iran’s Threat Profile

The memorandum asserts that Iran:

• Remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism, supporting Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, the Taliban, and al-Qa’ida.

• Uses agents and cyber-enabled operations to target U.S. nationals.

• Is responsible for the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and ongoing Houthi strikes on international shipping in the Red Sea.

• Is in breach of its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations and is actively concealing nuclear-related activities from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Economic and Financial Sanctions

The Department of the Treasury is ordered to:

• Enforce all Iran-related sanctions immediately.
• • Restrict Iran’s access to global financial networks and deny revenue to its terror proxies.
• Review and potentially revoke licenses and waivers providing Iran with economic relief. "Review for modification or rescission any general license, frequently asked question, or other guidance that provides Iran or any of its terror proxies any degree of economic or financial relief"
• Strengthen countermeasures at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to prevent illicit transactions.

Diplomatic and Military Measures

The Department of State is instructed to:

• modify or rescind sanctions waivers, particularly those that provide Iran any degree of economic or financial relief, including those related to Iran’s Chabahar port project;

[The U.S. has exempted Chabahar-related activities from Iran-related sanctions under CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) to ensure that India, Iran, and Afghanistan can continue port-related trade without secondary sanctions risks.]

• Isolate Iran diplomatically and prevent IRGC operatives from finding safe havens.

• Drive Iran’s oil exports, particularly to China, "to zero"

• Ensure Iraq and Gulf states do not facilitate sanctions evasion.

• Lead efforts at the United Nations Security Council to hold Iran accountable for treaty violations.

The Department of Defense and intelligence agencies are directed to:

• Counter Iran’s missile and drone programs.

• Disrupt IRGC and proxy networks operating abroad.

Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism

The Department of Justice is tasked with:

• Prosecuting Iranian financial and terror networks inside the U.S.

• Seizing illicit Iranian oil shipments.

• Holding Iranian-backed terrorist leaders accountable through indictments and extraditions.

• Disrupting Iranian espionage and cyber operations targeting U.S. institutions and critical infrastructure.