Washington's bid to pressure Iran with sanctions has failed to achieve its objectives and has even backfired, US-based Foreign Policy (FP) magazine says. RNA - Despite the US' "enthusiasm" for recent violent riots in Iran as a "vindication" of the success of its "maximum pressure" campaign, Iran has responded in equal terms to counter Washington, the leading publication wrote.
"Iran has responded to the US administration’s maximum pressure campaign with a maximum pressure campaign of its own," it said, citing Iran's suspension of its nuclear commitments and the country's growing regional and military strength.
Washington has sought sanctions to weaken Iran's economy to an extent that may incite internal strife and topple the country's government, despite the Trump administration's "half-hearted" denial of seeking "regime change" in the country, FP wrote.
According to the magazine, certain voices in Washington have called "for what amounts to violent revolution" in Iran, with US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo openly expressing support for violent rioters during recent economic protests in Iran.
FP wrote, however, that contrary to Washington's thinking, violent protests in Iran will never achieve their objectives and rather "backfire" as Iran's regional influence has in fact grown more assertive in the face of the US increased pressure.
The magazine cited Iran's downing of an intruding American spy drone in June and its apprehension of a British oil tanker in July as instances disproving Washington's wishful thinking of cowering Iran into submission through sanctions and pressure.
Tehran also suspended a number of its key commitments under the multilateral 2015 nuclear deal in response to the failure of the accord's European signatories in upholding their commitments to Iran amid US attempts to sabotage the deal.
Washington withdrew and reimposed economic sanctions which had been lifted under the deal May last year.
'New ban on Iranian airline futile'
Following Washington's announcement of new sanctions targeting Iran's air and maritime transport industries on Wednesday, spokesman of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization Reza Jafarzadeh has said that the measures will not affect the country's airline activity.
"Although the sanctions will impose added pressure, but they will not hinder the development of the industry and the reparation and maintenance of the planes," he said.
According to Press TV, the spokesperson added that Washington's sanctions against Iran "were not something new" and that the airline industry has been prepared for such measures.
'New maritime sanctions target Iran-Oman ties'
An informed source, speaking to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, has said that the new sanctions were aimed at disrupting trade ties between Iran and Oman.
The new measures were introduced a few days after the two countries signed a significant accord deal facilitating maritime trade between Tehran and Muscat.
"Such measures, however, will have no fundamental effect on Iran's regional activities and it will not hinder Iran's ties with Oman," the source said.
The US Treasury Department has stressed that Washington's newly announced sanctions will lead to the restriction of trade related to humanitarian goods.
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