Anticipating Trump administration, Iran says 2025 ‘important year’ for nuclear program
Islamic Republic fears US president-elect will renew previous ‘maximum pressure’ policy; Iranian rial has fallen 18% since Trump’s re-election

Iran, bracing for a possible re-imposition of incoming US President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy, said on Saturday that 2025 would be an important year for its nuclear program.
In 2018, Trump withdrew from a deal struck by his predecessor Barack Obama in 2015, under which Iran agreed to curb uranium enrichment in return for the relaxation of economic sanctions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters in Beijing that “2025 will be an important year regarding Iran’s nuclear issue.” In the remarks aired by Iran’s state TV, he added that he had discussed the issue in talks with his Chinese counterpart.
He did not mention Trump by name, however, or spell out how the year might be significant. In the past Iran has accelerated the program in response to new sanctions and pressure.
Iranian leaders’ main concern may be that Trump could empower Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Iran’s nuclear sites, while further tightening US sanctions on its crucial oil industry.
While Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ostensibly opposes the manufacturing of a nuclear weapon, Iran is enriching uranium at levels that are only relevant for the assembly of such bombs. The Islamic Republic is dedicated to the destruction of Israel, with Jerusalem vowing not to allow the regime to build a bomb.
Sanctions from the Trump administration could further hurt Iran’s already weakened economy.

The Iranian rial hit a new all-time low against the US dollar on Saturday amid uncertainty about Trump’s arrival in the White House on January 20.
The rial plunged to 820,500 to the dollar on the unofficial market, compared to 808,500 rials on Friday, according to Bonbast.com, which reports exchange rates. The bazar360.com website also said the dollar was being sold for about 820,500 rials.
Facing an inflation rate officially at about 35 percent, Iranians seeking to shelter their savings have been buying dollars, other hard currencies, gold or cryptocurrencies.
The rial has dropped about 18% compared to the dollar since Trump was elected in November.