Title: 'Making Iran broke again': US Treasury unveils policy objective

Iran stated on Friday that it is not prepared to negotiate a new nuclear deal with the United States. This follows U.S. President Donald Trump's revelation that he had sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei requesting dialogue. President Trump stated in an interview with Fox News on Friday that the letter was sent on Wednesday, signaling a renewed interest in direct communication.

Trump stated, "There are two ways of handling Iran: military means or reaching an agreement. I would prefer to reach an agreement because I don't want to hurt Iran. They are a great people." Trump reiterated his consistent carrot-and-stick approach to Iran, expressing his desire to reach an agreement through negotiation, thus highlighting his preferred diplomatic solution.

Trump added, "If we have to take military action, it's going to be a terrible thing for them. The other alternative is that we have to take action because we can't let them have nuclear weapons." Simultaneously, Iran's mission to the United Nations stated on Friday that it had not received any letters from the United States, creating some ambiguity around the communication.

Iran's Foreign Minister told Agence France-Presse on Friday that Iran would not negotiate as long as the United States continued to pursue its "maximum pressure policy," but did not rule out discussing its nuclear program with other parties. Russia has proactively offered to mediate talks between the U.S. and Iran, a development worth noting in the diplomatic landscape.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Araghchi stated, "As long as the United States continues to implement the policy of maximum pressure and threats, we will not hold any direct negotiations with the United States, but this does not mean that we will not negotiate with other parties on our nuclear program. We are negotiating with three European countries, and we are negotiating with Russia and China; these negotiations can continue, and I think we can also achieve results through this path," demonstrating Iran's openness to multilateral discussions.

Nour News, affiliated with Iran's Supreme National Security Council, dismissed Trump's proposal. Nour News stated on X, "Trump's pattern in foreign policy: slogans, threats, temporary actions, and retreats! Regarding Iran: He first says he doesn't want to confront, then signs the maximum pressure policy, then implements new sanctions, and now he talks about sending a letter to the leadership, inviting negotiations! This is a repeated American drama," criticizing the inconsistency of U.S. policy.

Trump likes to use America's military and economic power against enemies and allies alike, as he recently demonstrated when he publicly criticized Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House. Regarding Iran, he seems to be betting that the threat of sanctions will force Tehran back to the negotiating table. The United States has already targeted Iran's oil industry, whose exports have reached historic highs, aiming to exert maximum economic leverage.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen said on Thursday, "We are going to shut down Iran's oil sector and drone manufacturing capabilities. Bankrupting Iran again will mark the start of our renewed sanctions policy. If I were Iranian, I would take all my money out of rials right now." This statement underscores the U.S. strategy to cripple Iran's economy through targeted sanctions.

Trump's letter to Khamenei is reminiscent of his communications with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when he first took office. That contact led to historic meetings between Kim Jong-un and Trump. While Trump said it led to North Korea halting missile launches, no agreement was reached on reducing North Korea's nuclear arsenal, highlighting the limitations of such diplomatic overtures.

Trump faces mixed pressure from Iranian hawks and "America First" isolationists on whether to engage with Iran on a nuclear deal or escalate tensions and potentially launch an attack. Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, recently wrote that Trump's "unique window of opportunity" to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran is rapidly closing, suggesting a sense of urgency in addressing the situation.

On the surface, the Trump administration has taken an extremely hard line on Iran. Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Obama administration's 2015 nuclear deal with Iran during his first term. Trump's Secretary of State Blinken and his appointee to head the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Joel Rayburn, are both Iran hawks, underscoring the administration's generally hawkish stance.

However, Trump's inner circle is more open to dealing with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Trump's Middle East envoy and growing global problem solver, Steve Witkoff, told Fox News that the administration wants a diplomatic agreement with Iran. Reportedly, the world's richest man and one of Trump's closest allies, Elon Musk, met with Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in New York last November. Musk also shared social media posts revealing he was reading books on Iranian history, indicating a potential interest in engagement.

Tucker Carlson, a media figure close to Trump, has been strongly opposed to the U.S. going to war with Iran. Trump himself has said that he wants to reach a "verified nuclear peace deal." He has also shared social media posts mocking Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as a warmonger, suggesting a more nuanced and less confrontational approach.

Trump implemented a maximum pressure policy on Iran during his first term, after he unilaterally withdrew from the Obama administration's 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and European powers, including Russia and China. Ironically for Trump, the war in the Middle East that erupted after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has weakened Iran, creating an unexpected consequence of regional conflict.

With the support of the former Biden administration, Israel launched an unprecedented direct attack on Iran and severely weakened Hezbollah in Lebanon. Despite its diminished military strength, Iran is far less isolated now than it was during Trump's first term; it has repaired relations with Arab Gulf states and has provided Russia with weapons for the war in Ukraine, illustrating a shift in Iran's regional and international standing.