Top US sanctions official to discuss ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran in Middle East and Europe

By Daphne Psaledakis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Treasury Department’s top sanctions official will travel to the Middle East and Europe on Friday to ramp up pressure on Iran under President Donald Trump’s administration.
John Hurley, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, will visit Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Lebanon in his first trip to the Middle East since taking office.
President Trump has restarted the ‘maximum pressure’ campaign on Iran, aiming to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. The U.S. bombed Iran’s nuclear sites in June in a show of force.
Hurley expressed Trump’s stance on Iran’s destabilizing activities, stating, ‘Iran must face sustained and coordinated pressure.’ He plans to coordinate with partners to deny Tehran financial access, funding violence, and destabilizing the region.
Iran’s mission to the UN in New York did not immediately comment on the upcoming trip.
Trump had withdrawn the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in his first term, reinstating sanctions. In September, the UN reinstated an arms embargo on Iran over nuclear concerns.
During the trip, Hurley will focus on the maximum pressure campaign against Iran, especially targeting regional proxies. Discussions will include combatting money laundering and terrorism financing.
In Turkey, the official will address cooperation in stopping regional malign influences and avoiding sanctions evasion. Concerns on poor sanctions compliance in the UAE under the Biden administration will also be raised.