Iran, preparing for a possible reimposition of incoming US President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy, said on Saturday that 2025 would be an important year for its nuclear issue.
In 2018, Trump reneged on a deal reached by his predecessor Barack Obama in 2015 in which Iran agreed to curb uranium enrichment, which can produce material for nuclear weapons, in exchange for easing U.S. and U.N. economic sanctions.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters in Beijing: “2025 will be an important year regarding the Iran nuclear issue,” adding in remarks broadcast on Iran’s state television that he had discussed the issue in talks. with his Chinese counterpart.
However, he did not mention Trump by name or explain how significant the year could be.
The main concern for Iranian leaders may be that Trump could empower Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Iran’s nuclear sites, while further tightening US sanctions on its crucial oil industry.
The Iranian rial hit a new record low against the US dollar on Saturday amid uncertainty over Trump’s arrival to the White House on January 20.
The rial plummeted to 820,500 per dollar in the unofficial market, compared with 808,500 rials on Friday, according to Bonbast.com, which reports on exchange rates. The website bazar360.com also said the dollar was selling for about 820,500 rials.
Also facing an inflation rate officially estimated at around 35 percent, Iranians looking to protect their savings have been buying dollars, other hard currencies, gold or cryptocurrencies, and the rial has fallen about 18 percent in total since that Trump was elected in November.
