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US intel assessment suggests Trump's Iran policy not working

A new US intelligence assessment suggests that the Donald Trump administration’s Iran policy is not achieving its goals and may in fact be counterproductive.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testifies to the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about "worldwide threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 29, 2019.      REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RC18CD6A93F0

WASHINGTON — Top US intelligence officials, in a new "Worldwide Threat Assessment" to Congress, offered several judgments on Iran that seem to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the Donald Trump administration’s Iran policy.

Iranian hard-liners could be empowered, sporadic unrest is uncoordinated, and Iran’s regional behavior has not moderated and may even become more aggressive in the face of perceived increased US/Saudi/Israeli hostility and US-led economic pressure, the 42-page annual "Worldwide Threat Assessment," prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said.

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