Doyle McManus: Trump's sanctions are hurting Iran's economy, but that doesn't mean they're working

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump claims his economic sanctions on Iran are the "toughest ever" and that his policy of maximum pressure is already a success.

But his own intelligence chiefs don't agree. In their view, Iran's behavior may be getting worse, not better.

There's a paradox at the heart of Trump's policy. His sanctions are tougher than many skeptics expected. And they've been effective in one sense: They helped pitch Iran into a recession.

But creating economic pain isn't the goal. The