Iran rejects Trump Administration’s ‘maximum pressure’ and prepares air defenses

(Pixabay image)

Iran is objecting to the Trump Administration and has concerns about being attacked:

Iran says will not bow to US ‘maximum pressure’ strategy

25 February 2025

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday said there was no possibility of direct talks with the US on his country’s nuclear program, a day after Washington announced fresh sanctions on Iran’s oil industry.

The sanctions come as US President Donald Trump reinstates the “maximum pressure” policy toward Tehran that he upheld during his first term. …

“There will be no possibility of direct talks between us and the United States on the nuclear issue as long as the maximum pressure is applied in this way,” Araghchi said during a press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, who has been visiting Tehran.

“Regarding the nuclear negotiations, the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is very clear. We will not negotiate under pressure, threat or sanctions,” he said.

“On the nuclear issue, we will move forward with the cooperation and coordination of our friends in Russia and China,” he added. https://www.dw.com/en/iran-says-will-not-bow-to-us-maximum-pressure-strategy/a-71745081

Report: Iran deploying air defenses to brace for possible US-Israeli strike

25 February 2025

Iran has placed its nuclear facilities on high alert bracing for a potential attack by Israel and the United States, The Telegraph reported Tuesday.

According to a report in the British Telegraph, Tehran has deployed additional air defense system launches around key nuclear and missile sites.

“They [Iranian authorities] are just waiting for the attack and are anticipating it every night and everything has been on high alert – even in sites that no one knows about,” a source was quoted telling the news outlet, saying that concerns have heightened with rhetoric from new US President Donald Trump. https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-iran-deploying-air-defenses-to-brace-for-possible-us-israeli-strike/

Yes, Iran is concerned about Donald Trump and his proposed actions.

Regarding Iran, Donald Trump, and prophecy, the following is from my latest book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

Iran and Prophecy

Prior to his first election, Donald Trump stated that he wants to eliminate or at least change the “nuclear deal” with Iran. [i]

And that he did.[ii]

However, the Biden-Harris Administration tried to revive it, though never fully did. However, the Biden-Harris Administration did release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets back to Iran[iii] as well as it, apparently intentionally, did not enforce sanctions which allowed Iran to nearly triple its oil revenues 3 years after Donald Trump left office.[iv]

In the June 27, 2024 debate with Joe Biden, Donald Trump then blamed the Biden-Harris Administration for assisting in Iran’s ability to provide more funding to proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah.[v] It is believed that Donald Trump will likely use some type of “maximum pressure” strategy again against Iran during his next Administration.[vi]

Because Bible prophecy indicates that it will be primarily Arabic nations that support the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8), though with some support (probably temporary per Daniel 11:25-26) from Turkey (and possibly Pakistan), it is not biblically possible that Iran can truly be the leader of the Islamic world as it seems to want to be. Also, because it is basically due east of Jerusalem, Iran should not be considered to be a candidate to be the final ‘King of the South’ of biblical prophecy.

Despite its posturing and relative military strength, Iran will be somehow effectively neutralized (cf. Ezekiel 32:24). This could perhaps be from an attack involving Israel and/or internal civil unrest — this could also include electromagnetic (EMP) or similar weapons used against Iran (Jeremiah 49:34-39).

It is of prophetic interest to note that the small nation of Israel is prophesied to one day be attacked by some that seem to have a connection to Iran (Isaiah 22:1-14).

Iran may decide to strike out against Israel, and possibly Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 22:7-8) if a Trump Administration and/or Israel takes actions it does not like.

Iran has weapons that can cause damage. Furthermore, the USA itself (as well as is the State of Israel) is vulnerable to EMP type attacks and items such as biological weapons, chemical weapons, terrorism, nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, etc. because of a conflict involving Iran, Syria, and/or others.

But should this occur, this would NOT be the final destruction of the USA. Prophetically, Iran would not end up faring well (cf. Ezekiel 32:24-25).

[i] Wilkinson T. Trump’s plans to scuttle or amend the Iran nuclear deal remain a work in progress. Los Angeles Times, November 14, 2016

[ii]^{Trump DJ. President Donald J. Trump is Ending United States Participation in an Unacceptable Iran Deal. White House Fact Sheet, May 8, 2018}

[iii]^{Knickmeyer E, et al. Americans released by Iran arrive home, tearfully embrace their loved ones and declare: ‘Freedom!’ Associated Press, September 19, 2023}

[iv]^{Steil B. Biden is Giving Up Powerful U.S. Financial Sanctions on Iran | Opinion. Newsweek, August 13, 2021; Cohen A. Joe Biden’s Iran Oil Sanctions Failure. National Interest, November 2, 2024}

[v] ^{READ: Biden-Trump debate transcript. CNN, June 28, 2024}

[vi] ^{What is Trump’s ‘maximum pressure policy’ that could drive up costs for China’s Iranian oil imports? Times of India, November 6, 2024; Strobel WP, et al. Trump to Renew ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign Against Iran. Wall Stree Journal, November 8, 2024}

Iran may strike out at Israel before Israel attacks it, or may wait to strike after it is hit again by Israel.

What if Israel hits Iran hard?

Israel has already been accused of ‘war crimes’ related to its war against Hamas in Gaza (e.g. see ‘Bolivia severs diplomatic ties with Israel over Gaza war’ and ‘Open hatred of Jews surges globally, inflamed by Gaza war’).

Israel may conclude that if it has the go-ahead from Donald Trump, it can go all-out to attempt to destroy the Iranian regime.

With that in mind, consider the following Roman Catholic writings:

Abbot Herman of Lehnin (died 1300) Towards the end of the world “Israel will commit a terrible crime for which it will suffer death.” (Culleton, R. Gerald. The Prophets and Our Times. Nihil Obstat: L. Arvin. Imprimatur: Philip G. Scher, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, November 15, 1941. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 151)

Roman Catholic priest and writer R. Gerald Culleton (20th century): After the birth of Anti-Christ and shortly before the rise of the Great Monarch, the false doctrines were to multiply … In the last days before Anti-Christ, there are to appear many anti-christs… Towards the end of the world the Jews are to commit some atrocious crime for which they will be greatly persecuted … the Great Monarch … This Lion Monarch … together with the Great Pope or Angelic Pastor, shall appear after socialism … (Culleton, pp. 25,27,28,50)

Some have suggested that “after socialism” may mean after communism falls, like it mainly did in the late 20th century. True Church of God Christians with “Jewish practices,” who could be considered a type of “Anti-Christ” by Greco-Romans (see Do Certain Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? ), are to be greatly persecuted around the time of the Great Catholic “Lion” Monarch (see Persecutions by Church and State).

The “atrocious crime” could refer to an attack (possibly nuclear) by Israel or some other Israeli action. Or perhaps a combination of factors.

That said, a while back, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following Bible News Prophecy video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to Iran and Israel:

15:03

Iran and Israel Conflict

European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, has been brokering the nuclear negotiations involving Iran and said that he thinks the deal is “in danger.” Iran blames the United States, whereas the USA says they are not delaying it. Israeli sources stated that Israel will stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Joe Biden says the USA would use its own military power to prevent Iran from getting such a bomb if need be. In 2021, Iranian lawmakers have submitted a bill seeking the government by law to commit to Israel’s destruction by the year 2040. Does the 22nd chapter of Isaiah point to damage coming to Israel from Iran and possibly Syria? Might Iran be concerned enough about limited progress with the USA to launch some type of attack? Is Iran the prophesied ‘King of the South’? Is it reasonable to think that the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:27 will not happen until after a military conflict. like a regional war? Should Christians watch the Middle East? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.