By When Donald Trump was in the White House, the world saw relative peace in the geopolitical sphere. However, with the advent of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, two major wars erupted, highlighting a stark contrast in foreign policy approaches. One of the most significant differences between Trump and Biden has been their handling of relations with Iran.
Under Trump’s administration, Iran faced immense pressure. The U.S. adopted a hardline stance characterized by severe economic sanctions and direct military actions. One of the most dramatic moments came with the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian military commander. This bold move demonstrated Trump’s willingness to take decisive action and sent a clear message to Iran: aggression against American interests would not be tolerated.
The “maximum pressure” campaign spearheaded by Trump aimed to cripple Iran’s economy. Vital sectors, including oil exports, were targeted, significantly impacting the Iranian economy. This strategy was designed to force Iran to negotiate on critical issues such as their nuclear program and regional activities.
In contrast, the Biden administration has taken a more diplomatic approach toward Iran. This shift has led to the easing of tensions but has also raised concerns about the effectiveness of such a strategy. Under Biden, Iran has seen billions of dollars in assets unfrozen, and the U.S. has adopted a more lenient stance in defending Israel. Critics argue that this approach has emboldened Iran, allowing it to increase its influence and activities in the region.
Iran has clearly noticed the difference in approaches between Trump and Biden. Recent reports indicate that Iran is actively working to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election to ensure the Democrats remain in power. The Wall Street Journal writes that Ayatollah has launched an all-out assault against Trump returning to The White House.
Iran is seeking to harm Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in covert online influence operations, fearing a return to power by the Republican nominee would inflame relations with Washington, U.S. intelligence officials said Monday.
U.S. spy agencies have “observed Tehran working to influence the presidential election, probably because Iranian leaders want to avoid” increased tensions with the U.S., an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said during a press briefing.
The assessment of Iran’s election preferences marked a shift from a view shared by American intelligence agencies just a few weeks ago, when they said that Tehran was chiefly focused on acting as a “chaos agent” in the election.
The officials didn’t assert directly that Tehran was seeking to undermine Trump, but said that its current operations aligned with its goals before the 2020 election, when it sought to harm Trump’s candidacy. “We haven’t observed a shift in Iran’s preferences” since 2020, the intelligence official said.
In addition to directly influencing U.S. politics, Iran has been accused of supporting anti-Israel protests on American campuses. These activities are part of a broader strategy to leverage domestic U.S. movements to advance its geopolitical agenda. The Ayatollah has even praised American liberals for their enthusiasm for the destruction of Israel, highlighting the ideological alignment between Iranian interests and certain U.S. factions.
[Kamala Harris Stepdaughter Raised Money For Hamas-Affiliated Group]
The intelligence community’s recent revelations about Iran’s plans to assassinate Trump add another layer of complexity to the situation. Just weeks after Trump was shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks, U.S. authorities disclosed intelligence about an Iranian plot to kill the former president.
CNN wrote that US authorities obtained intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increasing security around the former president, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN.
There’s no indication that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill the former president on Saturday, was connected to the plot, the sources said.
A US national security official said the Secret Service and Trump campaign were made aware of the threat before Saturday’s rally.
‘Secret Service learned of the increased threat from this threat stream,’ the official told CNN. ‘NSC directly contacted USSS at a senior level to be absolutely sure they continued to track the latest reporting. USSS shared this information with the detail lead, and the Trump campaign was made aware of an evolving threat. In response to the increased threat, Secret Service surged resources and assets for the protection of former President Trump. All of this was in advance of Saturday.’”
While there was no direct link between Crooks and the Iranian plot, the incident underscored the ongoing threats Trump faces from foreign adversaries.
[Read More: Top Dem Veep Contender Faces Major Allegations]
