The Illusion of 'Maximalist Pressure' on Iran
THE ACTORS: The primary actors identified are the United States government and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Dr. Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow at RUSI, articulates the perspective that Iran has 'misread' current dynamics. RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute, a UK-based think tank, receives funding from various governmental bodies, including the UK Ministry of Defence, and defense
contractors ( RUSI, 2022 ). This funding structure can influence the framing of security analyses, particularly concerning geopolitical rivals. THE FUNDING: The US 'maximalist pressure' strategy, as presented, involves military, economic, and diplomatic levers. Economically, this translates to ongoing sanctions. For instance, the 'maximum pressure' campaign initiated by the Trump administration in
2018 aimed to cut off Iran's oil exports entirely and target its banking sector. This economic pressure continues, with over 1,500 designations and sanctions against Iranian entities and individuals since 2017 ( US Treasury, 2023 ). Militarily, increased US presence in the Persian Gulf and exercises, while often framed as defensive, contribute to a perception of heightened threat. THE INCENTIVES:
The US incentives for this 'maximalist pressure' are stated as 'to extract more than mere nuclear compliance.' This implies a broader objective of regime modification or collapse, aligning with decades of US foreign policy in the region. For actors like RUSI, identifying Iranian 'misreadings' reinforces the narrative that Western strategic calculus is sound and that a robust application of power