HAMILTON, Canada

US President-elect Donald Trump is planning to intensify the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, aiming to curb its oil exports and restrict its influence in the Middle East, said a report on late Thursday.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Trump’s first-term policies included withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a multinational agreement designed to limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

"I think you are going to see the sanctions go back on, you are going to see much more, both diplomatically and financially, they are trying to isolate Iran," a former White House official told WSJ, adding that "I think the perception is that Iran is definitely in a position of weakness right now, and now is an opportunity to exploit that weakness."

The report claimed that Trump’s renewed approach is influenced by recent alleged assassination attempts by Iranian operatives against him and other former US officials, reportedly in retaliation for a 2020 US drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, a senior Iranian general.

Mick Mulroy, a former Pentagon official, told WSJ that "if he’s going to be hawkish on any particular country, designated major adversaries, it’s Iran."

According to the report, Brian Hook, a former US State Department official responsible for Iran policy, is expected to take a leading role in Trump’s administration.

Hook previously championed the "maximum-pressure" strategy, arguing that it succeeded in "reducing funds available to Tehran’s security services."

Republican Trump declared victory over Democrat Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election.

Trump, who previously served as US president from 2017 to 2021, was known for his hostile stance toward Iran, especially after his administration unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.

The assassination of Iran’s top military commander General Qasim Soleimani in January 2020 brought the two countries to the brink of direct military confrontation.

Speculation is growing that Trump’s return to the White House could further escalate tensions between Tehran and Washington, particularly amid the Israeli war in Gaza and strikes on Lebanon, and could derail efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.