Iran’s leadership and its allies are preparing for what they see as a concerning possibility in the upcoming US presidential election: Donald Trump’s potential return to power.
While opinion polls show Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in a close race, Iranian leaders and allies in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen worry that a Trump victory on Nov. 5 could bring increased challenges.
Their primary concern is that Trump might enable Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to target Iran’s nuclear sites, conduct assassinations, and reimpose a “maximum pressure policy” with strict sanctions on Iran’s oil sector, according to officials from Iran, Arab states, and the West.
They expect that Trump, who previously served as president from 2017 to 2021, would press Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to accept a nuclear containment agreement with terms set by Trump and Israel.
This potential shift in US leadership could have wide-ranging effects on the balance of power in the Middle East, potentially altering Iran’s foreign policy and economic outlook.
Analysts argue that regardless of whether Harris or Trump leads the next administration, Iran may have less leverage than before, partly due to Israel’s ongoing military campaign aimed at weakening Iran’s regional allies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, they believe Trump’s approach could be especially challenging for Iran due to his strong support for Israel.
“Trump will either put very tough conditions on Iran or let Israel carry out targeted strikes on its nuclear facilities. He is fully endorsing a military action against Iran,” said Abdelaziz al-Sagher, head of the Gulf Research Center think-tank.
“It’s Netanyahu’s dream day to have Trump back in the White House,” he told reporters.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
