Iran has warned that 2025 will be a critical year for its nuclear program, amid growing concerns over the potential return of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy under the incoming administration.
In 2018, Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, an agreement negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama. Under the deal, Iran had agreed to limit its uranium enrichment, which can be used to produce material for nuclear weapons, in exchange for the easing of U.S. and UN economic sanctions.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, told reporters in Beijing that 2025 would be a pivotal year regarding Iran’s nuclear issue, though he did not provide further details on how or why the year would be significant. In a statement aired by Iran’s state TV, Araqchi mentioned having discussed the nuclear matter with his Chinese counterpart, but did not specifically refer to Trump or clarify the potential implications.
One of Iran’s primary concerns may be that Trump’s return to office could embolden Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities, while simultaneously tightening U.S. sanctions on Iran’s key oil industry.
Amid growing uncertainty about the future, the Iranian rial hit a new historic low against the U.S. dollar on Saturday. The rial dropped to 820,500 to the dollar in the unofficial market, compared to 808,500 rials the day before, according to exchange rate reporting sites such as Bonbast.com and Bazar360.com.
With inflation officially standing at around 35%, many Iranians have been turning to U.S. dollars, other hard currencies, gold, and cryptocurrencies to protect their savings. Since Trump’s election in November, the rial has lost approximately 18% of its value.
