US’ new Iran plan could backfire, Trump's former Iran negotiator says
Washington’s effort to sanction countries doing business with Tehran “poses a greater threat to US credibility” than to the regime’s economy, Nate Swanson wrote in Foreign Affairs.
Former US Iran negotiator Nate Swanson contends that Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran is likely to backfire, as it could undermine US credibility more than it weakens Iran's economy. Swanson argues that with Iran already facing an economic crisis, it has little to lose by retaliating against economic pressure with military escalation, which is precisely what President Trump has sought to avoid.
This perspective is echoed by other analysts, who warn that the more effective the US sanctions become, the more they may provoke Iran into taking military action in response.
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