Trump and Netanyahu (File photo)
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House on Wednesday to reportedly discuss plans for reducing Iran’s oil sales to China, which currently handles over 80 per cent of Iran’s oil exports. The agreement comes amid ongoing nuclear talks between US and Iranian officials through Omani mediators.A senior US official told Axios, “We agreed that we will go full force with maximum pressure against Iran, for example, regarding Iranian oil sales to China,” as reported by Reuters. This move could significantly impact Iran’s oil revenue.
The diplomatic efforts coincide with the US positioning a naval fleet in the region. The American military is said to be preparing for potential extended operations against Iran that could last several weeks, according to various media reports.China’s response to these developments remains unknown, as no official statement has been given amid the Lunar New Year holiday.In a separate development around US-Iran relations, exiled son of Iran’s last shah Reza Pahlavi, on Saturday called on US President Donald Trump to help the Iranian people, saying it was “time to end the Islamic republic.”Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Pahlavi said, “It is time to end the Islamic republic.”“This is the demand echoing from the bloodshed of my compatriots who are not asking us to fix the regime but to help them bury it,” he added, as quoted by AFP.Reza Pahlavi directly appealed to Donald Trump, telling reporters, “The Iranian people heard you say help is on the way, and they have faith in you. Help them.”Earlier, Trump had said on Friday that a change of government in Iran would be “the best thing that could happen,” as a second aircraft carrier was deployed to the Middle East to intensify military pressure on the Islamic republic. He had earlier warned of possible military action in support of nationwide protests that peaked in January and were followed by a harsh crackdown that rights groups say left thousands dead.
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