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Iranian official calls for negotiations with Washington in Iraq


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Michael Knights, the Lafer Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Arab News: “Iraq can’t afford to be cut off from the dollar-based global financial system, so it makes sense to avoid sanctioned Iranian financial entities. Iraq should also protect its dollar reserves.

 

Well, it seems that if they WANT to help Iran, but are locked into a "Dollar-based global financial system" (because of currency restrictions), there IS a way out.  Any guesses how?

Problem is, they need IMF/UNSC approval to RI/RV.  Why would the U.S. (who has the most influence in IMF/UN ) want to let them RI/RV and get around that dollar based system, when they've got them by the gonads regarding the sanctions?

 

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Iran Supreme Leader admits mistake over nuclear talks

 

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has admitted he made a mistake in allowing the country’s foreign minister to speak to his US counterpart during negotiations that led to a 2015 international nuclear agreement.

International sanctions on Iran were lifted when the pact with world powers came into force in 2016, but the expected level of foreign investment to help revive the economy has never materialised. Then this May President Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement and is now reimposing U.S. sanctions in stages.

Khamenei, who rarely admits in public to making errors, said he had done just that over the nuclear talks. “With the issue of the nuclear negotiations, I made a mistake in permitting our foreign minister to speak with them. It was a loss for us,” he said.

The comments made by Khamenei, the highest authority in the country, were tweeted on Wednesday by the Khat-e Hezbollah newspaper, a weekly affiliated with his official website.

Khamenei made the remarks on Monday, but the newspaper said it was now quoting them due to inaccurate accounts published previously by other media.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif negotiated the deal with counterparts from six powers, including then US Secretary of State John Kerry. Tehran undertook to curb its nuclear programme in return for relief from the international sanctions which have been throttling its economy.

New US sanctions against Iran took effect last week, and Trump said companies doing business with the country will be barred from the United States. Washington had said Tehran’s only chance of avoiding the sanctions would be to accept an offer by Trump to negotiate a tougher nuclear deal.

Iranian officials, from Khamenei down, have rejected the offer. Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said on Wednesday that the United States is trying to make Tehran surrender through the imposition of sanctions.

“The first priority for all of us under a sanctions situation is to work toward managing the country in a way that brings the least amount of damage to people’s lives,” Fars News quoted Jahangiri as saying. “America is trying by applying various pressures on our society to force us to retreat and surrender.”

The new sanctions targeted Iranian purchases of US dollars, metals trading, coal, industrial software and its auto sector, though the toughest measures targeting oil exports do not take effect for four more months.

Few US companies do much business in Iran so the impact of sanctions mainly stems from Washington’s ability to block European and Asian firms from trading there.

President Hassan Rouhani made similar comments to Jahangiri, although he did not specifically refer to the United States. “We will not let the enemy bring us to our knees,” Rouhani said, according to state TV.

“America itself took actions which destroyed the conditions for negotiation,” Rouhani also said, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). “There were conditions for negotiation and we were negotiating. They destroyed the bridge themselves,” he said. “If you’re telling the truth then come now and build the bridge again.”

The Iranian economy is beset by high unemployment and a rial currency which has lost half its value since April. The reimposition of sanctions could also make the economic situation worse.

Rouhani said the economy is the biggest problem facing the country.

Thousands of Iranians have protested in recent weeks against sharp price rises of some food items, a lack of jobs and state corruption. The protests over the cost of living have often turned into anti-government rallies.

 

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180815-iran-supreme-leader-admits-mistake-over-nuclear-talks/

 

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The Iranian leaders are really feeling the heat over the sanctions and poor economic conditions.  They are crafting some nice propaganda in their media that blames the Great Satan, The USA for all their problems.  

Its real easy, stop building nuclear bombs and stop with the proxy wars in the ME.  They are NOT the victim, at least not yet.  

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The usual propaganda from a failed regime desperately trying to prop themselves up, blaming   the USA for all their troubles. There are quite allot of psychotics running countries all over the world. 

Just seems no end to it. Many BIG $$$$$ FIRMS & the UN That want to keep it this way too. Manageable Global Chaos. 

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The Washington Post: Trump puts Iraq in trouble because of IranDonald Trump

Washington / A /

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A major crisis is looming on Iraq's horizon, which is already felt by US President Donald Trump's attempts to clamp down on Iran and pressure it, the Washington Post reported on Thursday .


Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abbadi reluctantly admitted last week that Iraq had no choice but to abide by the terms of the renewal of sanctions imposed on Iran by the Trump administration, while the United States would punish any bank, the newspaper said in a report posted on its website. An Iraqi who opposes US sanctions and insists on dealing with Iran .

The newspaper pointed out that despite the presiding over the caretaker government, Iraqi politicians are still wrestling over the formation of a new governing coalition of the country, and therefore in an incredibly sensitive position, and although it has the support of Washington, but also owed to Iran and its influence Within his country, so he can not afford any deterioration in relations with the United States, which is a very important security partner for his country. He does not have to fight a real fight with Tehran, which carries out annual business with Iraq worth $ 12 billion, and shares with Baghdad in many other links .

The newspaper pointed out that things may become more complicated in November, when a more stringent round of sanctions against the Iranian oil industry is activated .

 

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US efforts to stop trade between Iraq and Iran once and for all

Readers

 

 

8
US efforts to stop trade between Iraq and Iran once and for all

 

16-08-2018 03:02 PM

 

The Euphrates -

 

Kadhim al-Kaabi, a political analyst, revealed Wednesday that the United States is trying to stop trade between the Iraqi government and Iran after Washington imposed economic sanctions on Tehran. 

Al-Kaabi said in a press statement that "the US State Department seeks to stop the trade movement between Tehran and Baghdad on a final basis through threats to impose sanctions against Iraq in the event of non-compliance with US sanctions on Iran," pointing out that "Iraq's commitment to sanctions against Tehran will expose the country's economy to shrink during Next period". Adding that the Iraqi government is able to deal with Iran in local currencies of the two countries away from the dollar during the next phase, "noting that" Tehran and Baghdad have cooperated previously dealing in the local currency of the two countries and can be cooperation on this basis after the imposition of US economic sanctions on Tehran. " 

"The commitment of current Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to the US sanctions imposed on Iran is a wrong policy and a deliberate individual action," he said, adding that "Tehran is the closest to Baghdad in international trade and cooperation from Washington." 

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Hotels are "empty" buildings .. and many of their reservations canceled .. Najaf in the shadow of a "crisis" acute

Business and Finance  Thursday, August 16 2018 at 11:30 AM (1231 views)20180816_113055-423.jpg
 

Follow-up / Sky Press

The city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, is experiencing a severe economic crisis following the imposition of US sanctions on Tehran, which has led to a decline in the number of Iranian visitors and turning their hotels into empty buildings and the stagnation of shops.

The city that hosts the shrine of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib, and rises above it a golden beacon surrounded by walls decorated with stones and verses of the Koran, one of the most important holy shrines in the world.

Tourism in Iraq is limited to the religious sphere and is mainly concentrated in Najaf and Kerbala, as well as other cities with shrines such as Samarra, north of Baghdad.

The suspension of Iranian flights to Shiite shrines in Iraq is expected to have serious repercussions for a large sector of some 544,000 people, directly and indirectly, according to the 2017 census.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, $ 5 billion of religious tourism revenues account for 3 percent of GDP.

The impact was clear, with the implementation of sanctions, on the city of Najaf, which is preparing to receive visitors to religious events during the month of August.

"The cancellation of many hotel reservations and a significant drop in the number of visitors," the sources said, pointing to the lack of accurate statistics on the 285 hotel occupants in Najaf.

At Najaf airport, where there were 35 daily flights between the two neighboring countries, only 12 flights carrying Iraqi pilgrims headed to Shi'ite shrines in Iran left Tuesday.

In response to the crisis, "some hotels have cut prices by 50 percent sometimes," said Youssef Aboutabouk, owner of the Al Balad Al Amin hotel in Najaf.

Abutabuk added that the offers did not change anything, stressing that "the market is in a state of collapse" without Iranian visitors.

Iran is the second country after Turkey in terms of volume of trade with Iraq, according to an official source at the Ministry of Commerce, which amounted to about 6.7 billion dollars last year.

But economic motives are not the result of the impact of US sanctions. The only reason for the decline in the number of visitors to Najaf Iranians, but observers talk about another hidden reason related to the recent demonstrations in Iraq, especially in the cities of the south, against rampant corruption in state institutions and widespread unemployment among young people and lack of services Mismanagement, and raised clear slogans against Iran's domination of Iraq.

Observers point out that the Iranians fear any reaction of the Iraqi popular and reject their presence in light of the continuing state of internal tension and rising anger against the Iranian role in their country and linked to the situation of rampant corruption.

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2018-08-15 BY SOTALIRAQ

US report: Iraqis transfer dollars to Iran via mules

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Rumsfeld's decision to re-impose trade sanctions on Iran would have a negative impact on neighboring Iraq after investors suffered heavy losses at a time when Washington's ally in the region is in turmoil due to difficult economic conditions, the Washington Post reported. 
The sanctions target Iran's purchases in the automotive and transportation sector as well as its business activities and purchases of gold and other basic metals. 
The Iraqi economy has been stymied by attacks since 2015, prompting a large group of Iraqis to put millions of dollars into Iranian banks, which in turn were offering high interest rates after Tehran's nuclear deal with Washington, the newspaper said in its report on its website on Wednesday.
She noted that many Iraqis used mules to transfer thousands of dollars to Iran to avoid laws that regulate the amount of money that can be taken out of the country. 
Now, with the United States withdrawing from the nuclear deal and renewing trade sanctions against Iran, the value of the Iranian riyal has fallen to historic lows, causing investors to be shocked and shocked. 
Under the deal, Iran would curb its controversial nuclear activities in return for easing sanctions. Trump says it was a "terrible unilateral deal". 
The so-called "terms of expiration of the agreement," under which restrictions on Iran's nuclear program would expire, were unacceptable, that it did not deal with Iran's ballistic missile program and failed to stop Iran's "malicious behavior" in neighboring countries, including Syria And Yemen.
The newspaper said that the Iraqi financial crisis is a stark example of the fact that "the intensification of competition between Tehran and Washington could lead to destabilize Iraq," which is already facing a widespread state of public discontent caused by the foggy economic scene and rising concern, Where the United States and Iran have a large stake. 
"The ramifications of re-imposing sanctions on Iran also illustrate the fact that the economic well-being of ordinary Iraqis is more closely linked to the Iranian market than to the United States, which rarely feels its influence in the daily lives of Iraqis." 
The re-imposition of US trade sanctions on Iran last week sparked fierce public debate in both Baghdad and Tehran because Iraq had to comply with the terms of sanctions, although Iraq is Iran's main trading partner.
Washington is likely to impose more damaging sanctions on Iran's economy on November 5 on Iranian ports, energy, shipping and shipbuilding, Iranian oil remittances, and foreign financial transactions with Iran's central bank. 
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced at the beginning of last week his opposition to imposing sanctions in principle but now has no choice but to respect them. Which sparked a violent reaction at home and in Iran, where he called on Tehran's allies in Iraq to recognize that "sanctions betrayal," especially after Iran's support for Iraq in its war against Daqash. 
For many Iraqis, the crisis seems less philosophical and more realistic. Since Trump announced Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Iran's riyal has lost nearly 50 percent of its value against the dollar.
Analysts expect the Iranian riyal to continue to lose in November as the second round of US sanctions on oil sales enters into force. The 
words of Bijan Khajahpour, an expert on the Iranian banking sector, " The main attraction of investment in Iranian banks is the rate of relatively fixed exchange rate, which collapsed now." 
Some analysts hold Iraqi investors accountable. "The law does not protect the fools," says Basem Jamil Antoine, an Iraqi economist. "It is impossible to know how many Iraqis are pumping their money into Iranian banks, because they were often conducted illegally by smuggling money across borders," he said.
Karim Sadjadpour, an Iranian expert at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, notes that "the astronomical interest rates offered by Iranian banks have long been a mirage." "When you take into account how sensitive the country is to high inflation or devaluation of the Iranian currency, putting large amounts in Iranian banks is a dangerous bet," he said

https://www.sotaliraq.com/2018/08/15/تقرير-امريكي-عراقيون-ينقلون-الدولارا/

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6 minutes ago, Butifldrm said:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Rumsfeld's decision to re-impose trade sanctions on Iran would have a negative impact on neighboring Iraq after investors suffered heavy losses at a time when Washington's ally in the region is in turmoil due to difficult economic conditions, the Washington Post reported. 

Who’s President Donald Rumsfeld???🤔🤣😂🇺🇸

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2018/08/16 12:25
  • Number of readings 1461
  • Section: Monitoring
  •  

Expert: "re-export" to benefit from the sanctions, Kurdistan got an exception from them

 

 

The economic sanctions on Iran will limit the volume of religious tourism to Iraq, in return for the increase of tourism from Iraq to Iran as a result of the devaluation of the Iranian currency, and called for the follow-up The policy of "re-exporting the commodity" as a successful economic policy can boost Iraq's economy.

"The sanctions imposed on neighboring Iran, which is linked to Iraq with extraordinary links, are trade exchange of between $ 20 million and $ 30 million, in which it is possible to imagine the size of the losses that will be incurred," Smisem said in an interview with Al-Masalla.

"The Iraqis have lost two-thirds of their deposits in Iran because of the devaluation of the currency and the measures taken by the Iranian monetary authorities, that when people are deposited in dollars, they are directly assessed and paid, so when the price of the tuman has fallen, Third, if the value of deposits $ 100 million turn into 30 million dollars. "

"These issues have a great impact on relations, but we must not forget that the issue of economic sanctions, when imposing control relations, and Kurdistan was able to obtain an exception that its relations continue with the Iranian government, which means that Tehran will rely on Kurdistan in The disposal of its products, and thus benefiting the parties, where Kurdistan is benefiting from the decline in the price of exports, resident Toman, and thus be the starting point for this commodity.

She explained that "the Central Bank of Iraq issued a resolution, Sunday, 12 August 2018, the text of the continued dealing with Iran in dollars, regardless of the US sanctions imposed on it, to the fear of the smuggling of dollars from Iraq to Iran, leaving a black market, may affect the Iraqi currency And thus risk the dinar devalued, which means that our exposure to the economic collapse threatens the relative stability reached by the Iraqi dinar under current price levels.

 

"Iraq has many transactions in the import of products as a result of economic policies, regardless of the right or wrong, for 15 years, which led to the total dependence on trade with Iran, and specifically import."

"With the collapse of the Iranian currency as a result of sanctions, Iranian exports will become very cheap, which could encourage increased imports from Iran, unless it is limited by sanctions," she said.

"With the decision of the Central Bank of Iraq, we will pay in dollars, which means that the winner is Iran, and the injured is Iraq."

She called on Iraqi and economic businessmen to establish re-export areas, which are based on the import of cheap goods from Iran, and then re-exported as Iraqi goods, and the value added will be the share of Iraqis, a successful political economic action that could promote the Iraqi economy, It is an experiment by many cities such as Singapore, Honkkunk and Jebel Ali regions of the UAE where they import some cheap Chinese and Indian goods and then re-export them for teams that benefit them. "

She pointed out that "there are deep links, and that many Iraqis who bought assets in Iran, and we have funds will decline in value, and religious tourism to Iraq will decline because of the decline of the Iranian currency, in return will increase the pace of tourism from Iraq to Iran, , And opens the outlet for the flow of the dollar and its loss from Iraq to Iran. "

"Many difficulties will wait for the Iraqi economy to require prudent and rational economic management that balances human needs, economic needs and national interests," she said.

On Sunday, 12 August 2018, the Ministerial Council for National Security, headed by the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Haider al-Abadi, rejected the misinterpretation of Iraq's position on the sanctions against Iran, stressing the depth of relations between the two countries.

The legal expert, Tariq Harb, predicted on Sunday, August 12, 2018, that Washington will take into account the circumstances of Iraq and its conditions and will not impose sanctions in the event of violating the sanctions imposed on Iran, stressing that trade between Tehran and Baghdad will continue and will not be affected by the recent sanctions that Imposed by Washington.

The government spokesman, Saad al-Hadithi, said in an interview with the "Masala" that Iraq refuses to resort to sanctions as a means of resolving differences between countries because it harms the people and citizens and is not affected by the regulations in clarifying the position of the Iraqi government to impose US sanctions on Iran, Stressing that the Iraq issue regarding the sanctions on Iran is limited to banking and financial transactions.

The analyst of "Masala" political, that the Iraqi position of sanctions against Iran is not "typical" and "complimentary" in the start of the problem, on which the results were built. It distinguishes two contradictory trends between Iran, the big neighbor, which has supported Iraq more than any other country in the war on terror, and links it to the Iraqi people, economic relations, geographical proximity, religious and historical scandals, and international obligations that "can not be compromised, Protection for the Iraqi people, "as stated by Prime Minister Haider Abadi.

The obelisk

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/147087/خبيرة-إعادة-تصدير-للاستفادة-من-العقوبات-وكردستان-حصلت-على-استثناء-منها

 

 
Edited by Butifldrm
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WATCH LIVE: Mike Pompeo launches Iran Action Group after nuclear deal withdrawal

 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is forming a special group to coordinate and run U.S. policy toward Iran as the Trump administration moves ahead with efforts to force changes in Iran's behavior after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, PBS reported. 

The State Department said Pompeo announces the creation of the Iran Action Group on Thursday. Officials said the group will be headed by Brian Hook, who is currently the State Department’s director of policy planning.
They said Hook is expected to be replaced in that job by Kiron Skinner, a foreign policy academic who served very briefly on the State Department transition team after President Donald Trump took office.
The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/30719/WATCH-LIVE-Mike-Pompeo-launches-Iran-Action-Group-after-nuclear-deal-withdrawal

 
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Mike Pompeo forms "Iran Action Group" for post-nuclear deal policy

 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is forming a dedicated group to coordinate and run U.S. policy toward Iran as the Trump administration moves ahead with efforts to force changes in Iran's behavior after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.
Pompeo announced the creation of the Iran Action Group on Thursday, telling reporters that the initiative would be "directing, reviewing and coordinating all aspects of the State Department's Iran-related activity." The group will be headed by Brian Hook, who is currently the State Department's director of policy planning, and will report directly to Pomepo. Hook led the Trump administration's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to negotiate changes to the nuclear deal with European allies before the president decided in May to pull out of the accord.
"Our hope is that one day soon we can reach an agreement with Iran but we must see major changes in the regime both inside and outside of its borders," said Pompeo on Thursday. He added, "The Iranian people and the world are demanding that Iran finally act like a normal nation."
He said that State is committed to a "whole of government effort to change the Iranian regime behavior."
Hook said, based off of Pompeo's extensive list of actions Iran must take in order to enter into a new deal with the U.S., "our new strategy addresses all manifestation of the Iranian threat and the new Iran Action Group will be focused on implementing that strategy." He said that the group will be comprised of an "elite team" of foreign affairs professionals at State and across the administration. 
The group will "play a critical role in leading our efforts within the Department and executing the president's Iran strategy."
Since withdrawing, the administration has re-imposed sanctions that were eased under the deal and has steadily ramped up pressure onIran to try to get it to stop what it describes as "malign activities" in the region. In addition to its nuclear and missile programs, the administration has repeatedly criticized Iran for supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad, Shiite rebels in Yemen and anti-Israel groups. It has also in recent weeks stepped up criticism of Iran's human rights record and is working with other nations to curb their imports of Iranian oil.
 

 

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IS IT STILL POSSIBLE TO DISTANCE IRAQ FROM IRAN?

 
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, U.S., Septembe (photo credit: KEVIN LAMARQUE)U.S. President Donald Trump meets with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, U.S., Septembe (photo credit: KEVIN LAMARQUE)
Turkish-American relations are at an all-time low
Last year, American Enterprise Institute scholar Ken Pollack testified before the House Foreign Relations Committee, saying: “Every year since 2003, knowledgeable Americans have been warning that the current year is absolutely critical in Iraq. They have been right every time and 2018 will be no exception.”

With Turkish-American relations at an all-time low; President Erdogan in power until at least 2029; and Iranian expansionism extending into critical American areas of interest throughout the Middle East, the new reality requires an American effort to improve its problematic and fragile relationship with Iraq.

The aftermath of the Iraqi elections this spring were a punch in the face to American interests, especially after so much blood and treasure have been lost. America’s favored party, that of current Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s came in third, while the anti-American Sadrist Party of Muqtada al Sadr and the Iranian supported Fatah Party gained the lion’s share of votes.
 
But no party in Iraq can govern without forming a coalition – and America may still have enough influence to marginalize Fatah, empower Prime Minister Abadi and even support Muqtada al Sadr, who although anti-Western is not a fan of Iranian influence. Politics makes strange bedfellows.

Good news seemed to have arrived in early August when Abadi shocked both America and Iran by stating that although he thinks new US sanctions against Iran are a “strategic mistake… we [Iraq] will abide by them.” It seemed this was an opportunity not to be missed. At first there was reason for optimism as Voice of America reported that Iranian merchants claimed that Iraq was turning away Iranian goods.

On August 13, the pressure on Abadi from Iran and its minions within Iraq forced him to backtrack on his promise regarding American sanctions. The news headline from Al Jazeera read, “Iraqi PM walks back on commitment to US sanctions on Iran.”
 
But looking deeper, all is not lost and there remains a window of opportunity to advance American interests. What Abadi did say was that the sanctions were being “reviewed” and “we honestly have not made any decision.” He also did confirm that Iraq would abide and not use dollars to transact business with Tehran.


SO IS IT too late to help Iraq disentangle itself from growing Iranian control?

It would be naïve to believe that America could engineer a complete break in relations between the two Shi’ite nations. Not only do they share the same version of Islam, but Iran is also Iraq’s largest trading partner. Yet Iraq does not want to be dominated by Iran. This is where a new well-thought-out strategic policy could help Iraq create some distance from Iran, furthering American interests while stabilizing the region.

There may be an uphill climb convincing the Trump White House. Last year before John Bolton joined the administration, he said in The Wall Street Journal that it was against American interests to continue our military support of Iraq.

What should not be glossed over is that the Shi’ites of Iran, the majority of whom are Persian, are very different from the Shi’ites of Iraq who are Arab – no small difference. Shi’ite Iraqi Muslim leaders like the Grand Ayatollah Sistani remain religiously independent from the Iranian Supreme Leader Khomeini, in contrast to Hezbollah’s Nasrallah in Lebanon, who follows Velayat-e Faqih (guardianship of the jurist), compelling all Shi’ites to unquestioningly follow the Iranian Supreme Leader. This is why Hezbollah does not have an independent foreign policy, allowing Iran to exert far too much influence in Lebanon, both militarily and politically.

To help Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi fulfill his promise to uphold sanctions, America must creatively reach out to Iraq and see how we can help mitigate whatever economic damage Iraq will sustain from abiding by the sanctions we want to place on Iran.

One of the missed opportunities of American Middle East foreign policy post 9/11 was not appreciating the region’s fault lines other than the Sunni-Shi’ite divide in formulating strategies to advance American foreign policy interests. The sectarian divide is just one way to see the region, where interests sometimes outweigh ideology. Shi’ite Persian Iranians ally with Sunni Arab Hamas in their shared ambition to destroy Israel, which they both have been taught to believe resides on Islamic land.

FOR MANY in the post-Iraq invasion era, they see two Shi’ite majority countries that were politically divided by Saddam Hussein, where a minority ruled a Shi’ite majority country. Once Saddam was sent to the dustbin of history by the United States, many thought and feared the two nations would naturally gravitate together, despite American soldiers’ lives and billions of dollars sacrificed to liberate the Iraqi Shi’ite people from their Sunni Ba’ath tyrant.

At the height of Islamic State’s power in 2014, Iran saw an opportunity to exert control over Iraq. A weakened Iraq under the siege of ISIS accepted Iranian Popular Mobilization Units (PMU’s) controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Iran then used the vanguard of these PMU’s to complete its land corridor to the Mediterranean, undermining American interests and allies, especially the Kurds in the North.

America needs a more pro-Western Iraq, especially with long-term ally Turkey crossing over to the dark side, and Iran and America on a collision course in the post-JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal) era.

The US is considering creating an Arab/Sunni alliance – something like NATO – against Iran. Although the Iraqis are Arabs they are not Sunnis and would have zero interest in being involved with such an alliance. However, the more realistic goal to advance American interests is an Iraq that remains more neutral and less under Iranian influence.

Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi has offered America a fleeting opportunity; it is up to us not to waste it.

 

https://m.jpost.com/Opinion/Is-It-still-possible-to-distance-Iraq-from-Iran-565102

 

 

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Iran Says German Oil Company Looking To Make Deal Despite Sanctions

- Aug 16, 2018, 2:00 PM CDT buildings offices

German company ADL and Iran’s Sepahan Oil Company (SOC) have signed an agreement to cooperate in technology transfer in oil and gas industry lubricants, Iranian media report.

European embassies have put a lot of effort in paving the way for signing the cooperation agreement, Mohammad Ebrahimi, the chief executive officer of SOC, was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.

According to the Iranian official, ADL will carry out the project in cooperation with its Austrian and Swiss partners.

 

While Iranian media report the signing of an agreement with a European company, many European companies are backing out of Iran or putting agreements and projects on hold in order to comply with U.S. sanctions on Iran and avoid becoming subjects of some sort of secondary sanctions if they continue to do business with Iran.

Denmark’s engineering company Haldor Topsoe, a leading industrial catalyst producer, is ceasing activities in Iran and is cutting around 200 jobs as a consequence of the planned U.S. sanctions on Iran.

Switzerland’s railway firm Stadler Rail is suspending plans for an underground railway system in Tehran.

Germany’s carmaker Daimler dropped plans to expand its Iranian business, while France’s Peugeot took steps to suspend its joint venture activities, and Renault has said that it will comply with the U.S. sanction regime.

Other major German companies, railway operator Deutsche Bahn as well as Deutsche Telekom, are ending their projects in Iran, after the first new U.S. sanctions on Iran snapped back last week.

In the oil and gas industry, France’s major Total has said that it would exit the South Pars gas project if it doesn’t get a U.S. waiver. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said last month Total’s waiver request has been rejected, together with other requests from French firms.

Regarding Iran’s oil exports to Europe—which, combined, is Iran’s third-biggest customer after China and India—European refiners are expected to significantly drop their Iranian purchases. According to analysts, Europe could be one of the regions where the U.S. might manage to bring Iranian oil exports to ‘zero’.

 

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Iran-Says-German-Oil-Company-Looking-To-Make-Deal-Despite-Sanctions.html

 

 

 

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9 minutes ago, Pitcher said:

But no party in Iraq can govern without forming a coalition – and America may still have enough influence to marginalize Fatah, empower Prime Minister Abadi and even support Muqtada al Sadr, who although anti-Western is not a fan of Iranian influence. Politics makes strange bedfellows.

 

Ah, You Will Be Assimilated. Resistance Is Futile.

 

Get over it and get on with the program!!!

 

In The Mean Time.............................................................

 

Go Moola Nova (YEAH AND YEE HAW, BABY, READY WHEN YOU ARE BROTHER (OR SISTER) - LET 'ER BUCK!!!)!!!

:rodeo:   :pirateship:

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5 minutes ago, 10 YEARS LATER said:

Hi, Ho Silver ! Awaaaaaay ! 🤪

 

Well, OK, 10 Years Later, The Best Of The Rest Of Your Week AND Your Weekend To You Raising Horses!!!

 

This was a favorite show of mine as a much YOUNGER PERSON!!!

 

 

Of course - YOU THE MAN!!! :salute:

 

Go Moola Nova!

:pirateship:

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Iraqi Compliance with Iran Sanctions will “Damage Iraq’s Economy”

A former under-secretary at Iraq’s Ministry of Finance has said that  ministry has said that US sanctions on Iran will impact trade activity between Iraq and Iran and, should they persist, they will damage Iraq’s economy.

Fadhil Nabi told Rudaw:

“America’s sanctions on Iran will have impact on trade exchange and activity between Iraq and Iran as there is sizeable trade between the two countries in terms of oil and gas.”

According to the report, while countries are yet to sever trade ties, the impact is already being felt on Iran’s economy, with the rial rapidly losing value.

 

http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2018/08/16/iraqi-compliance-with-iran-sanctions-will-damage-iraqs-economy/

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7 minutes ago, Synopsis said:

 

Well, OK, 10 Years Later, The Best Of The Rest Of Your Week AND Your Weekend To You Raising Horses!!!

 

This was a favorite show of mine as a much YOUNGER PERSON!!!

 

 

Of course - YOU THE MAN!!! :salute:

 

Go Moola Nova!

:pirateship:

It was too tempting not to do it. :bravo::lmao: Well done 👍 

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Well I'm sure that this Finance Minister knows a lot more about Iraqs economy than I BUT, he messed up when he mentioned Iraq buying (trading) in oil an gas from Iran because that's my market. Why Iraq buys oil an gas from anyone is beyond me. They flare off enough natural gas per day to run enough power plants to supply Iraq a daily amount of electricity, so why are you buying it? Which ask the question, why are you buying electricity from Iran?

I'm thinking the corruption is the main reason why the Iran sanctions would effect the Iraq economy good or bad....

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2 minutes ago, 10 YEARS LATER said:

It was too tempting not to do it. :bravo::lmao: Well done 👍 

 

SIR - YOU THE MAN!!! :salute:

 

I always enjoyed the single action pistol and have one in 44 mag inspired by the fond recollections of these episodes. I also have one in 45 Colt. Well, OK, I cast my own 255 gr for the 45 colt and 300 gr for the 44 mag. I also like the lever action and have a couple of those in 30-30 Winchester Model '94. 

 

Go Moola Nova!

:pirateship:

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US Secretary of State appoints special envoy on Iran

11:11 - 16/08/2018

 
image
 
 

Follow - up to the balance of News 
appointed Mike Pompeo US Secretary of State Brian Hawk, one of his top advisers, a special envoy on Iran on Thursday. 
Pompeo announced the creation of the working group on Iran, which will run the ministry's policy toward Iran to achieve the goals, the most important of which is that Iran is a normal country in the region. The working group reports directly to the US secretary of state. 
Hawk will lead the Iran Working Group, which was also announced Thursday, to coordinate actions by the US State Department against Tehran. 
Washington announced this year its withdrawal from the nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on Tahrat and described it as a destabilizing force in the region. 
The United States has said it will only lift sanctions against Iran unless it agrees to negotiations for a tougher agreement. 
Ended 
m h n

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Iranian newspaper: Abadi "dwarf" became prime minister with a general signal and will be destroyed as Saddam

Iranian newspaper: Abadi "dwarf" became prime minister with a general signal and will be destroyed as Saddam
 



 Twilight News    
 3 hours ago

The newspaper "Quds" Iranian close to the current hardline, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi "dwarf", noting that "will face the death, the fate faced by Saddam Hussein." 
Iran's writer and political analyst Hassan Hani Zadeh said in an article published on Thursday that the Iraqi prime minister was committed to implementing US sanctions against Iran. "The dwarf Abadi, who does not exceed 99 centimeters, does not have the audacity and boldness of Saddam, Hussein, and does not have the height of the dictator, "adding that" Abadi will be hanged by the Americans, as they hanged Saddam, "as he put it. 
Hani al-Zadeh claimed that "Abadi became prime minister with one signal from an Iranian general, and with one signal he would leave the post aside," referring to the commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani.
"Measure your height and weight, my devoutness, before taking positions," said Hani Zadeh, one of the most famous journalists close to the hard line and the military establishment. 
He continued: "Iran after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 sacrificed dearly and for the sake of the Iraqis in the difficulties, but the days proved that the Iraqi people, a people does not depend on it.

Keywords: 

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1B8A271D-AE59-4157-84BF-322674D64FE9-620

Iraqi economic officials discussed with the Iranian ambassador ways of continuity of trade cooperation between the two countries

In the economy  August 16, 2018 on Iraqi economic officials are discussing with the Iranian ambassador ways of continuity of trade cooperation between the two countries closed 29 visits

 
 

Baghdad / SNG - The heads of the chambers of commerce of the provinces of Iraq discussed with Iranian Ambassador in Baghdad Irj Masjadi ways of continuity of trade cooperation between Iraq and Iran.

The head of the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce Jaafar al-Hamdani said in a press statement Thursday after a meeting of heads of chambers of commerce in the Iraqi provinces with the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad, that the circumstances resulting from the actions of US President Donald Trump anti-Iran will not prevent economic cooperation in the private sector and trade relations between Iraq and Iran .

 

Al-Hamdani added that Iraqi businessmen are interested in continuing their business activities in the private sector with Iran.

For his part, Masjedi pointed to the importance of the role of chambers of commerce in promoting trade between Iraq and Iran, stressing that the participation of Iraqi businessmen in international exhibitions in Iran and also the use of reciprocal investments to stimulate partnerships between the provinces and chambers of commerce is a very effective step.

The commercial advisor of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraq Nasser Behzad said that the message of this meeting is to unite and prevent any harm to the needs of the Iraqi people and the continuation of Iran's commercial cooperation with representatives of the Iraqi private sector.

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  • yota691 changed the title to Iranian official calls for negotiations with Washington in Iraq
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