Explaining the objectives of the maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its consequences for the balance of power in West Asia

The American policy towards the Islamic Republic of Iran during the Trump era (the official withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA on May 8, 2018) is known as the maximum pressure campaign. During this period, tensions between Iran and the United States reached their peak and the risk of a military conflict between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States and its allies was greater than ever. The Islamic Republic of Iran endured the most severe economic sanctions imposed on a country during this period. The research question is, what was the goal of the United States in undertaking the campaign of maximum pressure against the Islamic Republic of Iran? The research hypothesis is that America's maximum pressure campaign was an attempt to balance power in West Asia against Iran. The findings of the research are that the Americans have tried to weaken Iran through the imposition of economic sanctions and the collapse of the country's economy in order to reduce Iran's acting power, and on the other hand, by strengthening the power of its allied countries in the region and also by forming regional coalitions to create a balance against Iran. The theoretical framework of the article is based on the balance of power and aggressive realism. The current research is descriptive-analytical in terms of the research method and the documentary/library method has been used to collect the required data.