CBS News:
Glen Johnson, a former aide to Secretary of State John Kerry, says that the relationship between Iran and the U.S. is at a "very dangerous place." Johnson, who is also a former journalist, worked for Kerry while he was negotiating the Iran nuclear deal that Mr. Trump withdrew from.
"I think we're getting to a very dangerous place," Johnson told CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett on this week's episode of "The Takeout" podcast. Johnson noted how the administration, by its own definition, is putting "maximum pressure" on Iran "in an economic sense."
"[The administration] has renewed all the sanctions that Secretary Kerry and the Obama administration took off, it has cornered European countries into not trading with Iran, buying its oil. And the Iranians really don't have a lot of options for responding to that," Johnson said. "So you've seen drip-by-drip things starting to happen."
Johnson referred to Iran's downing of an American drone last month over what the U.S. claimed was international waters. Iran also allegedly attacked two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz last month. The U.K. said Thursday that three Iranian vessels had unsuccessfully tried "to impede the passage" of a British commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, although Tehran denied it.
President Trump considered an airstrike against Iran after the American drone was shot down, but said he ultimately decided that the casualties would be too high on the Iranian side.
Johnson said that Iran couldn't strike back against the U.S. with the same show of military force.
"The Iranian response can't be economic in the same degree that the U.S. is in initiating action, so there's just a higher likelihood of confrontation," Johnson said.
He also criticized Mr. Trump for pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. Iran has breached the terms of the deal for a second time this month by enriching uranium beyond the limits set by the agreement, despite Mr. Trump's warning to Iran to "be very careful."
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Trump just put off sanctioning Zarif.
It is believed that Trump asked one of his generals how many people will be killed if he sanctions Zarif, and the answer was 150. So he decided against it!
The Hill
Dick Morris: Why Obama spared ISIS oil
One of these days you are going to wake up, Sar Dabir jaan, and turn your favorite fake news network (i.e., CNN) on and they'll be reporting a massive bombardment of the IRI nukes sites by the US/ Isreali forces and much to your chagrin it will actually be a true news!?? Let's see if these Seyed malijacks who come here to climb up your bayse will laugh then or not!!!!????
Obama also did not allow tankers carrying ISIS oil to be bombed claiming he did not want to kill their civilian drivers. But he had no qualms dropping bombs on Libyan women and children.
Hey Tehran Bob!
Tell your ayatoola in charge to release nazanin zhagheri and her baby right now and you’l get you tanker back. Minus the oil! Else we’ll send Bolton over to skin you alive!
LoL