Time running out to curb Iran's nuclear advances, UN nuclear watchdog warns

"We are committed to bringing the Iranians to going back to 100,000 barrels per day of exports, as when Trump left office," Bessent told Fox News in an interview.

"Their economy is quite fragile right now. They have massive inflation, they have the gigantic budget deficit ... if we get them back to the Trump 1.0 levels. I believe that they will be in severe economic distress."

Iran exports around 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), with China by far the biggest buyer. The so-called "maximum pressure" campaign of US sanctions on Iran starting in 2018 during Trump's first term brought exports to as low as 200,000 bpd.

Trump this month reinstated the so-called "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran from his first term, with the stated aim of driving its oil sales to zero.

Beset said the proceeds from oil sales fund Iran's "terrorist activities around the world" and described purchases by China and India as unacceptable.

The US dollar reached a new high against Iran’s currency this week and the current annual inflation rate has hovered at around 40% since 2019 according to official figures, with prices for food and other essentials rising sharply.

A series of stepped-up US sanctions beginning in October on Russian and Iranian tankers, companies and entities facilitating their oil trade is increasingly hampering oil exports which are the main source of revenue for both countries.

“In this public gathering, I want to impeach Trump,” Ahmad Khatami, who also serves as Tehran's interim Friday prayer leader, said. “For 45 years, they have tried maximum pressure on Iran, and they have achieved nothing. Their pressure only brings maximum hatred from the Iranian people.”

Khatami, formerly a member of the Assembly of Experts presidium, was also once a prominent figure in the influential Supreme Council of Seminaries, responsible for setting policies and overseeing different programs for the Qom seminary and other affiliated Shiite seminaries. Though he has been sidelined from these key institutions, Iran's government-controlled online media widely covered his remarks.

The cleric blasted Trump’s foreign policy, particularly his opposition to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and his administration’s stance on Iran. “Trump called the IRGC terrorists, but they are our heroes, defending our nation from the terror networks America created,” he said.

On February 4, Trump signed a directive reviving his maximum pressure policy from his first term, aiming to drive Iran’s oil exports to zero. This strategy, originally launched in 2018, had severely battered Iran's economy, causing a sharp drop in oil exports and a surge in inflation. After signing the directive, Trump said he preferred a deal with Tehran over an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.

In response, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed on Wednesday that Iran would not bow to threats. “We will never yield to pressure or intimidation,” Pezeshkian said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei praised President Masoud Pezeshkian for rejecting talks with the United States, emphasizing that Tehran must continue advancing its military capabilities in the face of Trump’s threat to halt Iran's nuclear program by force.

“The president said what needed to be said,” Khamenei said during an address to defense officials.

After weeks of mixed signals about potential negotiations and tensions within Tehran's political landscape, Khamenei made his stance unequivocally clear on February 7, saying that talks with the US are “neither smart, nor wise, nor honorable.”

The announcement comes after Lebanon halted flights by Iranian carriers, including Mahan Air and Iran Air.

Saeed Chalondari, CEO of Imam Khomeini Airport City, after demanding reciprocity from Lebanon, confirmed that a Tehran–Beirut flight scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on Friday was canceled after Lebanese aviation authorities denied the permit.

He added that Lebanon has announced a suspension of Iranian flights until February 18, directing passengers to use Lebanese carriers instead.

“We do not agree with this decision,” Chalondari said. “If there are to be flights between the two countries, they must be on a reciprocal basis.” Adding that Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are pursuing discussions with Lebanon to resolve the matter.

The dispute follows accusations from Israel that Iran’s IRGC Quds Force has been using civilian flights to smuggle funds to Hezbollah via Beirut International Airport. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X that Iran and Hezbollah were exploiting commercial flights to transfer money for attacks on Israel.

The flight ban has sparked tensions in Lebanon. Images circulated on social media showed Hezbollah supporters blocking roads to Beirut Airport in protest against the refusal to allow Mahan Air to land.

Lebanese media also reported that flights arriving from Iraq are undergoing increased inspections to prevent potential cash transfers to Hezbollah.

The standoff comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, with both sides accusing each other of violations. Israel says Hezbollah is rearming, while Lebanon accuses Israel of continued military actions that have caused civilian casualties.

A bipartisan resolution, introduced in both the Senate and the House, calls on the United Kingdom, France, and Germany to trigger the “snapback” mechanism that would restore comprehensive sanctions on Iran through the UN Security Council.

The Senate version of the legislation is being led by Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), the number two Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with 11 cosponsors.

"Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism, and their actions have led to the murder of American servicemembers," Ricketts said. "Iran’s possession of a nuclear weapon would threaten our security and the security of our allies. Snapback sanctions are key to ensuring that President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign is successful."

In the House of Representatives, Reps. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) have introduced companion legislation, urging European nations to act before key provisions of the Iran deal expire in October 2025.

"These snapback sanctions would include export controls, travel bans, asset freezes, and other restrictions on those involved in Iranian nuclear and missile activities," a press release shared on Tenney's website read.

The 2015 agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had lifted UN, US, and EU sanctions on Iran in exchange for commitments to limit its nuclear program. The Trump administration withdrew the US from the deal in 2018, implementing a "maximum pressure" sanctions effort. In response, Iran later restricted access for international inspectors and resumed uranium enrichment beyond permitted levels.

The US lawmakers' call comes amid reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran is enriching uranium to 60% purity, just below the 90% threshold for weapons-grade material. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi warned that there is no civilian use for uranium enriched to such a level, raising concerns over Tehran's nuclear intentions.

With the October 2025 deadline looming, US lawmakers are pressing their European counterparts to act swiftly and decisively, warning that failure to reimpose sanctions could further embolden Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Speaking on Friday, Brigadier General Mahdi Farahi, Deputy Minister of Defense for Industrial and Research Affairs, said: "The reality is that in war, clashes happen. But the idea that our defense system has weakened or, as some ignorant individuals say, has been destroyed, is absolutely false".

"Our defense system, in terms of deployment, diversity, and capabilities, has not only not weakened but has become even stronger since before the Zionist regime's aggression," he added.

Farahi’s remarks come on the heels of statements from other top Iranian leaders earlier in the week. On Thursday, President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking in Bushehr, home to a major nuclear plant, warned against potential strikes on the country's nuclear facilities, stating: "If you (the enemy) strike a hundred of those, we will build a thousand other ones. You can hit the buildings and places, but you cannot hit those who build them... you cannot erase the minds of our scientists."

On Wednesday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, during a visit to an exhibition of Iran’s latest military products, emphasized the importance of advancing the country’s missile capabilities: "Progress should not be stopped. We cannot be satisfied with our current level. If we previously set a limit for the accuracy of our missiles but now feel that limit is no longer sufficient, we must push forward. Today, our defensive power is well-known, and our enemies fear it. This is crucial for our country."

The wave of statements from Iranian officials comes after former US President Donald Trump raised the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities this month. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said: "Everyone thinks Israel, with our help or our approval, will go in and bomb the hell out of them. I would prefer that not to happen."

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Israel is considering strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, citing US intelligence assessments that view Iran as vulnerable in the final days of the Biden administration.