New York, Karafarinane Eghtesad – U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum to restore a campaign of “maximum pressure” on Iran that he had launched in his first term.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office as he signed the memo, and shortly before he held a meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump claimed he had been hesitant about the action.

“So, this is one that I’m torn about,” the U.S. president said, referring to the memo. “Everybody wants me to sign it. I’ll do that. It’s very tough on Iran.”

Then he claimed the United States wanted to make a deal with Iran.

“We will see whether or not we can arrange or work out a deal with Iran,” he said.

Trump said he was “unhappy” to sign the memo but that he had “not so much choice because we have to be strong and firm.”

“And I hope that it’s not going to have to be used in any great measure at all,” the U.S. president said.

The White House did not immediately release the content of the memo.

Later, at a news briefing and as Netanyahu stood next to him, Trump said his administration would once again be enforcing “the most aggressive possible sanctions to drive Iranian oil exports to zero” and weaken what he called Iran’s capacity to “fund terror.”

The United States calls Iran’s support for native resistance movements in West Asia “sponsorship of terrorism.” The resistance groups have been fighting against illegal U.S. military presence in the region as well as Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land.

‘Israel’s greatest friend’

At the conference, an upbeat Netanyahu flattered Trump and called him “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”

The Israeli prime minister, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court over the war in Gaza, then listed the steps Trump had taken in support of the Israeli regime in his first term, including the U.S. president’s withdrawal from a deal with Iran.

Netanyahu said the measures had not been enough though and that “we have to finish the job.”

Shortly afterwards, Trump suggested that the United States take over the Gaza Strip and permanently displace the Palestinian population of the region.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” the real estate investor-turned-president said. “We’ll own it and be responsible” for clearing it out and rebuilding it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

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Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly referred to the document that U.S. President Donald Trump signed on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, as “an executive order.” It is a presidential memorandum. The White House partially caused confusion because the document uploaded to the White House’s official website is as of 11:55 GMT February 5, 2025 mistakenly subtitled “EXECUTIVE ORDER.”