The GDP, which grew by 12.3 per cent in 2016, contracted by almost four per cent last year. The announced goal is to reduce Iranian oil exports — already down over a million barrels per day to 1.1 million bpd — "to zero." Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign is certainly hurting Iran, but it's causing some self-inflicted damage too. Iran threatened Wednesday to resume higher enrichment of uranium in 60 days if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its 2015 nuclear deal. And it would give Vladimir Putin a good opportunity to extend Russia's influence among all those nations who will be looking to replace Iranian oil.

Source: CBC News May 08, 2019 18:20 UTC