Iranian official calls for negotiations with Washington in Iraq

[Pitcher]

Iraq to ask U.S. for exemptions on some Iran sanctions

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Iraq’s economy is so closely linked to Iran thatBaghdad is going to ask Washington for permission to ignore some U.S. sanctions on its neighbor, Iraqi government and central bank officials said.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew theUnited States from an international deal aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program earlier this year and reimposed trade sanctions.

Washington has said there will be consequences for countries that do not respect the sanctions.

 

Baghdad is in a difficult position. Iraq imports crucial supplies from ally Iran but its other major ally is the United States, which provides security assistance and training.

 

The request would mark an important change in political tactics for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. He initially said Baghdad would respect all the U.S. sanctions but faced heavy criticism from rivals.

 

The officials told Reuters a delegation will travel to Washington to ask for exemptions in applying the sanctions. They did not say when that trip would take place.

 

“The government plans to ask Washington for a waiver. It’s going to happen soon,” one central bank official said.

 

An official in Abadi’s office declined to comment.

 

An official in the U.S. State Department said it was discussing Iran policy with its partners around the world.

 

“We have given the same message to all countries around the world that the President has said, the United States is fully committed to enforcing all of our sanctions,” the official said.

 

“Iraq is a friend and important partner of the U.S and we are we are committed to ensuring Iraqi stability and prosperity.”
 

Iraqi officials fear shortages of key items ifBaghdad complies with all the sanctions. This could lead to political turmoil at a delicate time in Iraqi politics.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran including food, agricultural products, home appliances, air conditioners and spare car parts. The goods element of Iranian imports to Iraq was about $6 billion for the 12 months ending March 2018, about 15 percent of Iraq’s total imports for 2017.

 

There are also energy contracts between the two countries contributing to a volume of trade of $12 billion last year.

 

The officials said they were asking each ministry to put together a list of imports that are essential for Iraq’s economy. Those items will make up the request for exemptions.

 

The U.S. sanctions that came into effect earlier this month target Iran’s trade in gold and other precious metals, its purchases of U.S. dollars and its car industry. Other sanctions will come into force in November.

 

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/30850/Iraq-to-ask-U-S-for-exemptions-on-some-Iran-sanctions

 

[10 YEARS LATER]

I’d say no deal until you first get your poop in a group and finish what needs doing. You’re in no condition to ask for anything until then.  Oh, and have s nice day.

[Pitcher]

10 years I was thinking the same thing but I’m not as eloquent of a writer as you.  Way to speak it as you see it!!

[10 YEARS LATER]

1 hour ago, Pitcher said:

10 years I was thinking the same thing but I’m not as eloquent of a writer as you.  Way to speak it as you see it!!

 

Youre a straight shooter and pretty darn good hand when it comes to conveying thought to printed word - and thank you for the compliment   

[Pitcher]

Two charged in US with spying for Iran

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Two Iranians have been charged in the US with spying for the Tehran government - photographing Jewish institutions and collecting information on the Iranian opposition, the BBC has said. 

The two, Iranian-US citizen Ahmadreza Mohammadi Doostdar and Majid Ghorbani, an Iranian living in California, were arrested on 9 August.

Details of the case have only now been released by the US justice department.

The case coincides with an increase in tension between the US and Iran.

Washington is reimposing sanctions on Iran after President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the multinational deal with Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions.

"Doostdar and Ghorbani are alleged to have acted on behalf of Iran, including by conducting surveillance of political opponents and engaging in other activities that could put Americans at risk," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers.
In or around July 2017, Mr Doostdar, 38, travelled to the US from Iran to collect information about organisations Iran sees as enemies, the indictment alleges.

These included Jewish and Israeli interests and the opposition Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK), which Iran calls a terrorist organisation bent on overthrowing the government.

 

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/30862/Two-charged-in-US-with-spying-for-Iran

[Pitcher]

Iran’s future, Iraq’s elections and their impact on the region

In a recent panel on the current protest and problems in Iran at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC a common theme was evident: Iran is in a pre-revolutionary stage.  The discussion then turned to how long it would take for the regime to change its behavior or to fall altogether.

There is no doubt Iran is building to a major shift, but in what direction.

Over the past few years, there have been a number of popular uprisings in Iran, but as the panel pointed out, after each one, the regime learned better how to react to blunt the outrage. 

The bottom line, however, as noted by all, is the loyalty of security forces. It will be remembered it was the lost support of the military that ultimately led to the overthrow of the Shah of Iran. 

Now, forty years later, the shouts from the streets are for reform, jobs, and increasingly plaintive calls for Reva Shah. The degree to which the Iranian people will continue to demonstrate and to which the regime will counter is the issue as to the future of the Islamic Republic.

The one question, asked by Mike Pregent, a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute that was more difficult to answer was, what could the US do to help the opposition?  The answer will differ depending on the anticipated end the US is looking to influence. The range of ‘end state’ goes from regime behavior modification to total regime change.  

The official US position is that they are hoping, through US action, to influence the regime to change its behavior while stating the future of the regime is up to the Iranian people. No one, of course, believes this and understands that the US, most likely, is looking to topple the government. The panelists, however, were careful to avoid the term ‘regime change’ as it comes with a lot of baggage when uttered by the US.

One area of agreement was that the US leaving the Iran Deal and the re-imposing of sanctions was the right move and has increased pressure on the regime. It has led to the continued downward spiral of the Rial and the decreasing amount of consumer goods available to a restive population.

While the continuing economic turmoil has caught the attention of the regime, it has not deterred them from continuing to export the Islamic revolution and work toward total Iranian hegemony in the region. While the protests continue, there is little to no coverage in the US mass media. The fight between Trump and Erdogan takes up most of the regional coverage.

What may now come to pass is what the US fears, a total Iranian takeover of the Iraqi Government. While it is no secret that Tehran has been pulling the strings in Baghdad for years, the result of the latest election, as certified by the Supreme Court, gives the Iranian faction a clear advantage.

In a second panel at the Hudson Institute, which looked at Iraq, the consensus was that the Kurds, as well as the Sunni, will be bystanders in the coming formation of a government. 

With the very pro-Iranian alliance of Fatih, Nasr, and State of Law holding 114 seats out of 165 needed to form a government, coaxing a few of the smaller parties to join would not be difficult, would split the minority, and give them full reign over the government. The next largest block consists of Sadr’s Sairoon list, al-Hikma, and Wataniya, currently with 94 seats. 

This last alliance may well serve as a true opposition party but will still be a Shia party opposing a Shia party.

As stated by Bilal Wahab of the Washington Institute, this is all intra-Shia rivalry, not an Iraqi nationalist party.  The Kurds are the next largest block, but are divided and will be more so as the KRG election moves closer in September.

The United States and the West have failed to acknowledge the reality on the ground and continue to look for a PM who will be “their guy in Baghdad.” It must also be recognized that a majority of Iraqis did not vote in the last election and that the platforms on which the current parties have run have long ago ceased to be relevant. With 60 percent of Iraqis under the age of 30, they are looking for economic stability and education.

They still acknowledge a need for security.  Neither the Iraqi Army nor the Kurdish Peshmerga are capable of providing the security needed, but stability must be ensured for Iraq to move forward. The reasons behind this lapse of security are that the federal government decimated the national army leadership and, in the case of the Kurds, Baghdad refuses to provide adequate arms and equipment from the west.

As the Trump administration enforces the sanctions on Iran, further fueling the protests, and as its Iraqi partners require more funds from Tehran, a perfect storm is brewing. With both the Turkish and Iranian economies failing and oil prices rising, both Baghdad and Erbil should find common ground, which would require working toward a national goal and ignoring parochial issues. 

The best outcome may be that Iraqi parties fail to reach an accord within the 90-day timeframe, and new elections be held. Maybe then, Iran may finally lose its grip and Iraqis regain control of the government.

 

http://www.kurdistan24.net/en/opinion/33846462-e41e-4e95-8121-302a141af033

 

[Pitcher]

Be sure to read the last few sentences.  Good gosh, no, don’t make us go thru this again!!!

[juliebug]

No shite! Can't take much more...

 

[Pitcher]

Rouhani: “US doesn’t dare to attack Iran”

 

August 21, 2018 at 9:18 am | Published in: Asia & Americas, Iran, Middle East, News, US

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) speaks during a press interview regarding on the US enforcement of sanctions against Iran in Tehran, Iran on 22 July, 2018 [Iranian Presidency Handout/Anadolu Agency]

 

August 21, 2018 at 9:18 am

 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the United States does not dare to attack Iran as it is aware of the Islamic Republic’s military power and the high price of conflict.

“Why the United States does not attack us? Because of our power, because it knows …its consequences,” Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

 

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180821-iran-says-u-s-doesnt-dare-to-attack-iran/:

[Pitcher]

China defies US pressure as EU parts ways with Iranian oil

 

August 21, 2018 at 8:02 am | Published in: Asia & Americas, China, EU, India, International Organisations, Iran, Japan, Middle East, News, South Korea, US

Oil tanker [File photo]

 

August 21, 2018 at 8:02 am

3 SHARES

China, seeking to skirt US sanctions, will use oil tankers from Iran for its purchases of that country’s crude, throwing Tehran a lifeline while European companies such as France’s Total are walking away due to fear of reprisals from Washington.

The United States is trying to halt Iranian oil exports in an effort to force Tehran to negotiate a new nuclear agreement and to curb its influence in the Middle East.

China, which has cut imports of US crude amid a trade war with Washington, has said it opposes unilateral sanctions and defended its commercial ties with Iran.

On Monday, sources told Reuters Chinese buyers of Iranian oil were beginning to shift their cargoes to vessels owned by National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) for nearly all their imports.

The shift demonstrates that China, Iran’s biggest oil customer, wants to keep buying Iranian crude despite the sanctions, which were reimposed after the United States withdrew in May from a 2015 agreement to halt Iran’s nuclear programme.

“The shift started very recently, and it was almost a simultaneous call from both sides,” said one source, a senior Beijing-based oil executive, who asked not to be identified as he is not allowed to speak publicly about commercial deals.

Tehran used a similar system between 2012 and 2016 to circumvent Western-led sanctions, which had curtailed exports by making it virtually impossible to obtain shipping insurance for business with Iran.

Iran, OPEC’s third-largest oil producer, relies on sales of crude to China, Japan, South Korea, India and the EU to generate the lion’s share of budget revenues and keep its economy afloat.

READ: OPEC expects decrease in demand for oil

The United States has asked buyers of Iranian oil to cut imports to zero starting in November. Japan, South Korea, India and most European countries have already slashed operations.

A US State Department official said the Trump administration was aware of China’s plans to continue commercial cooperation with Iran and emphasised that Washington was fully committed to enforcing the sanctions.

“We continue to discuss our Iran policy with Chinese counterparts and the implications of our reimposition of sanctions,” the official said, responding to the Reuters report.

French oil major Total, previously one of the biggest European buyers of Iranian oil, has said it had no choice but to halt imports and abandon Iranian projects to safeguard its operations in the United States.

On Monday, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Total had officially left Iran’s South Pars gas project.

Total later confirmed it had notified the Iranian authorities of its withdrawal from South Pars after it failed to obtain a waiver from U.S. sanctions.

Iranian officials had earlier suggested China’s state-owned CNPC could take over Total’s stake and Zanganeh said the process to replace the French company was underway.

“As for the future of Total’s share, we have not been informed of an official CNPC position, but as we have always said, CNPC, a Chinese state-owned company, has the right to resume our participation if it decides so,” Total said in an emailed statement.

Walk away

French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly called for safeguarding the Iranian nuclear deal and defended the interests of EU companies in Iran.

But most European companies have conceded that they would be forced to walk away from Tehran for fear of sanctions and losing access to operations that require US dollars.

The first round of US sanctions, which included cutting off Iran and any businesses that trade with it from the US financial system, went into effect on 7 August.

A ban on Iranian oil purchases will start in November. Insurers, which are mainly US- or European-based, have begun winding down their Iranian business to comply with the sanctions.

To safeguard their supplies, state oil trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp and Sinopec Group, Asia’s biggest refiner, have activated a clause in long-term supply agreements with National Iranian Oil Corp (NIOC) that allows them to use NITC-operated tankers, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The price for oil under the long-term deals has been changed to a delivered ex-ship basis from the previous free-on-board terms, meaning Iran will cover all costs and risks of delivering the crude as well as handling the insurance, they said.

In July, all 17 tankers chartered to carry oil from Iran to China were operated by NITC, according to shipping data on Thomson Reuters Eikon. In June, eight of 19 vessels chartered were Chinese-operated.

Last month, those tankers loaded about 23.8 million barrels of crude oil and condensate destined for China, or about 767,000 barrels per day (bpd). In June, the loadings were 19.8 million barrels, or 660,000 bpd.

In 2017, China imported an average of 623,000 bpd, according to customs data.

READ: China’s top diplomat says cooperation with Iran to continue

Sinopec declined to comment. A spokesperson for Nam Kwong Group, the parent of Zhenrong, declined to comment.

NIOC did not respond to an email seeking comment. An NITC spokesman said it would forward a request from Reuters for a comment to the country’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

It was not immediately clear how Iran would provide insurance for the Chinese oil purchases, worth some $1.5 billion a month. Insurance usually includes cover for the oil cargoes, third-party liability and pollution.

 

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180821-china-defies-us-pressure-as-eu-parts-ways-with-iranian-oil/

[10 YEARS LATER]

Saddam said words to that effect a long time ago and he be Dead a long time ago. . .

 

Oh, let him have his fun. . . While it lasts.  Blowing hot air isn’t he 😎

[10 YEARS LATER]

21 minutes ago, Pitcher said:

Rouhani: “US doesn’t dare to attack Iran”

 

August 21, 2018 at 9:18 am | Published in: Asia & Americas, Iran, Middle East, News, US

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) speaks during a press interview regarding on the US enforcement of sanctions against Iran in Tehran, Iran on 22 July, 2018 [Iranian Presidency Handout/Anadolu Agency]

 

August 21, 2018 at 9:18 am

 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the United States does not dare to attack Iran as it is aware of the Islamic Republic’s military power and the high price of conflict.

“Why the United States does not attack us? Because of our power, because it knows …its consequences,” Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

 

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180821-iran-says-u-s-doesnt-dare-to-attack-iran/:

 

Is there another Mother of all wars brewing up . . . Again? Go ahead and poke the bear with a stick and see what happens next-Roo ole son.

[one2one]

Iran is a pathetic weakling compared to the U.S.

[jaybake]

it US doesn't have to do that, let their own people do it and receive the support from the US.  Obama could have done it during his administration, but has no balls 

[yota691]

Abadi seeks to distance Iraq from the repercussions of US sanctions on Iran

- 40 Minutes Ago

BAGHDAD - The country's economic ties with Iran will prompt Baghdad to ask Washington to allow it to disobey some US sanctions against its neighbor Tehran, government and central bank officials said.

Baghdad is now in a difficult position. Iraq imports important supplies from its ally Iran, but the United States, another major ally of Baghdad, provides aid and security training.

Abadi is betting on unlimited US support to stay in office for a second term, which most Iraqi parties have begun to recognize, according to leading political leaders.

Baghdad's request for exemption from sanctions would be a major change in the political tactics of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who initially said Baghdad would respect all US sanctions, but faced sharp criticism from its pro-Iranian opponents.

Iraqi officials confirmed that a delegation would travel to Washington to seek exemptions from the sanctions, but did not say when the visit would take place.

US President Donald Trump earlier this year decided to withdraw the United States from an international agreement aimed at restricting Iran's nuclear program and re-imposing trade sanctions on Tehran. Washington said there were consequences for countries that did not respect sanctions.

"The government is planning to ask for an exemption from Washington. This will happen soon, "while Haydar al-Abadi's office declined to comment.

A State Department official said the ministry was discussing Iran's policy with its partners around the world.

"We have given the same message to all countries in the world, that the President said that the United States is fully committed to the implementation of all our sanctions."

"Iraq is a friend and important partner of the United States, and we are committed to ensuring Iraq's stability and prosperity."

Iraqi officials fear a shortage of basic goods if Baghdad commits all sanctions, which could cause political turmoil at a delicate time in Iraq's political landscape.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, household appliances, air conditioners and auto parts.

US sanctions, which came into effect earlier this month, targeted Iran's trade in gold and other precious metals, and Tehran's purchases of the US dollar and the country's auto industry. The rest of the sanctions will take effect in November.

Bassem Antoine, a senior Iraqi economic adviser and a member of the Iraqi Businessmen's Union, said it was impossible for the government to block the flow of Iranian primary goods through a combined border of more than 1,300 km between the two countries.

He said Iran would use every option available to maintain export flows, including helping allied armed groups to secure what could be called "organized smuggling".

Abadi leads a fragile caretaker government as political parties seek to negotiate a new government coalition after an election in May in which Abadi's bloc finished third.

Abadi was able to strike a balance between US and Iranian interests and hoped to remain a consensual prime minister.

But Abadi may have been hurt after he announced his intention to fully abide by US sanctions. This may be supported by his more pro-Iranian rivals, who have strongly criticized his decision.

Some Western diplomats say Abadi must now find a compromise to balance American and Iranian interests.

The Arabs

[Butifldrm]

2018-08-22 BY SOTALIRAQ

 

Iraq asks America to forgive some Iranian sanctions

 

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Baghdad will ask Washington to let some US sanctions against its neighbor Iran be ignored, Iraqi officials and central bank officials said. 
Iraqi officials fear shortages of key items if Baghdad complies with all sanctions. This can lead to political unrest at a sensitive time. 
Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, household appliances, air conditioners and auto parts. 
The commodity component of Iranian imports to Iraq was about $ 6 billion for the 12 months ending, about 15 percent of Iraq's total imports for 2017. 
There are also energy contracts between the two countries contributing to a trade volume of $ 12 billion last year. 
According to Reuters, officials said they are asking each ministry to list the imports necessary for the economy of Iraq. Those items would constitute a request for exemptions.
US sanctions, which came into effect earlier this month, target Iran's trade in gold and other precious metals, its purchases in US dollars and its auto industry. Other sanctions will come into effect in November. 
Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said Iraq would be needed after dealing with the dollar with Iran, a key part of the sanctions and one of the most difficult for companies, given energy deals and other large business deals. 
This means that Iraqi banks and the government can not pay the Iranian government or Iranian entities in dollars. 
A central bank official said the latter had circulated a warning to private banks to abide by the ban on dollar transactions but would allow transactions in euros.

https://www.sotaliraq.com/2018/08/22/العراق-يطلب-من-امريكا-إعفاءه-على-بعض-ال/

[Butifldrm]

Abu Raghef: Iraq will send a senior delegation to Washington to resolve the crisis with Iran

18:55 - 21/08/2018

0

 

Trump

Information / Special ...

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq will play a role as a mediator to resolve the crisis between Tehran and Washington, political analyst Fadel Abu Raghef said on Tuesday .

"The Iraqi government is able to play the role of mediator between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran in resolving the economic sanctions imposed by Washington against Tehran during the past period," Abu Raghef said in a statement. Regional efforts at the moment to escalate tensions between the parties . "

He added that "the Iraqi government will send a high-level political delegation to Washington in the coming days to discuss resolving the crisis with Iran," noting that "the delegation will discuss with Washington to exempt Iraq from the sanctions imposed on Tehran and resolve the crisis between America and Iran ."

He added that "the delegation did not form until now and not officially announced," likely "to announce in the coming days to go to Washington for the purpose of negotiation ."

On Tuesday, Reuters revealed Iraq's intention to ask the United States to waive some US sanctions imposed by Washington recently on Iran. End 25 T

http://www.almaalomah.com/2018/08/21/337319/

[nannab]

I would love to be a fly on that wall.

[Pitcher]

1 hour ago, Butifldrm said:

Abu Raghef: Iraq will send a senior delegation to Washington to resolve the crisis with Iran

 

Thanks for this article Butifldrm.  

 

Trump to Iraq.  Tell Iran to stop building nuclear weapons and stop the proxy wars in the ME.  Also, tell your Iraqi Politicians who are Iranian Henchmen to stop turning off the electricity, stop ripping off the auctions, and tell the protesters to go back home.  Oh ya one more thing, RV your currency to help your people and our people in the US. 

[yota691]

An Iraqi delegation to Washington to seek exemptions from the application of sanctions on Iran

Baghdad is facing a big dilemma

 

 

 22/08/2018 - 13:36

 

 

 

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Baghdad will ask Washington for exemptions on US sanctions against its neighbor, Tehran, as the Iraqi economy is heavily linked to its Iranian counterpart and fears of major unrest in the country, the Reuters news agency said.

"A delegation will travel to Washington to ask for exemptions from the sanctions, but they did not disclose the date of the visit," the agency quoted government and central bank officials as saying on Tuesday.

Officials say they are asking each ministry to draw up a list of necessary imports for the Iraqi economy. Exemptions will be requested for such goods.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions.

Supply dilemma and penalties

Now, Baghdad is facing a big dilemma, importing important supplies from Iran, but the United States is vowing to impose firm sanctions on countries and companies dealing with Iran.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, household appliances, air conditioners and auto parts.

Iraqi officials fear a shortage of basic goods, if Baghdad sticks to all sanctions, could cause political turmoil at a delicate time in Iraq's political landscape.

The value of goods imported by Iraq from Iran was about $ 6 billion in the 12 months to March 2018, accounting for about 15 percent of Iraq's total imports in 2017.

An Iraqi Trade Ministry official said energy, construction and auto-run companies, run by the government and the public sector, would be more vulnerable.

"We rely mainly on Iran as a source of building materials and vehicles, including the spare parts sector, because of low prices and ease of shipping across many of the border crossing points," he said.

America is tough on sanctions

In contrast, a State Department official said the ministry was discussing Iran's policy with its partners around the world.

"We have given the same message to all countries in the world, that the President said that the United States is fully committed to the implementation of all our sanctions."

US sanctions, which came into effect earlier this month, targeted Iran's trade in gold and other precious metals, and Tehran's purchases of the US dollar and the country's auto industry.

The rest of the sanctions will take effect in November.

[yota691]

 

The leader of the wisdom stream in Iraq: We will not accept the imposition of sanctions on Iran and we will not stand idly by

Aug 22, 2018

 

Ammar al-Hakim
LONDON (Reuters) - Iraq's policy of sanctions and threats will only bring more war and destruction to the region, and it is dangerous to commit Iraq to economic sanctions imposed on Tehran, the leader of the wisdom movement in Iraq, Ammar al-Hakim, said on Wednesday.

Hakim called on the United States to reconsider the sanctions imposed on Iran, stressing that Iraq can not remain idle if US economic sanctions against the Iranian people have worsened.

"It is difficult to imagine that Iraq will not be affected if the Islamic Republic of Iran is exposed to the problems and complications of the conflict with the United States of America. It is also difficult for the Islamic Republic to imagine that it would not be affected if Iraq witnessed successive economic, political or security collapses, And the same thing in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and neighboring countries surrounding Iraq. "

Al-Hakim called for "the Iraqi policy to work hard and in all available ways to find common ground on which American and Iranian interests will meet together, away from the policy of sanctions and threats that will only bring the region more wars and destruction." , And we will not allow endangering the interests of our country, we say it frankly and without fear of anyone. "

"We can not remain idle if the economic sanctions against the Iranian people are exacerbated. We Iraqis know very well what the effects of the economic blockade we have experienced in the 1990s, starving peoples to influence political regimes is an inhumane policy and we can not seek the interests of Iraq. The logic of conflict and sanctions, "but we are well aware of the consequences of non-compliance with financial constraints imposed on countries with a rent economy such as Iraq, unfortunately.

He called on the United States of America to "reconsider the option of imposing sanctions and siege on the Iranian people, and realize the magnitude of the repercussions affecting Iraq as a result of that as well."

[yota691]

Bolton: America is not seeking to change Iran's regime

Date of release: 2018/8/22 12:53 • 120 times read

(International: Euphrates News) US national security adviser, John Bolton, reiterated on Wednesday that the United States is not seeking to change the government in Iran.

"Let's be clear: regime change in Iran is not an American policy, but what we want is a huge change in the regime's behavior," he told a news conference in Jerusalem, where he held talks with Israeli leaders. 
Bolton noted in the past that the US government should pressure to change the Iranian government, but said in May that this is not part of the policy of the administration of President Donald Trump. 
He also said at a press conference on Wednesday that the Israeli attacks on missiles provided by Iran to Syria was a legitimate defense of self

[Butifldrm]

AUGUST 21, 2018 / 10:15 AM / UPDATED 19 HOURS AGO

 

Germany urges EU payment system without U.S. to save Iran deal

 

 

Reuters Staff

3 MIN READ

BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the nuclear deal between Iran and major powers that was abandoned by President Donald Trump, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, Germany August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Joachim Herrmann

“That’s why it is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system,” Maas wrote in the Handelsblatt business daily.

“Every day the deal is alive is better than the highly explosive crisis that would otherwise threaten the Middle East,” he added in the article to be published on Wednesday.

The Belgium-based SWIFT global payment network that facilitates the bulk of the world’s cross-border transactions shut out Iran in 2012 after the United States and EU agreed to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear activities.

The 2015 agreement between Iran and world powers lifted international sanctions. In return, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear activities, increasing the time it would need to produce an atom bomb if it chose to do so. It has long denied having any such intent.

Trump withdrew the United States from the deal - signed before he took office - in May, calling the agreement deeply flawed and imposing new sanctions earlier this month.

European powers have been scrambling to ensure Iran gets enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal. This has proven difficult, with many European firms wary of far-reaching U.S. financial penalties.

Iran urged Europe this week to speed up efforts to salvage the nuclear accord after French oil group Total formally pulled out of a major gas project.

Trump’s decision on Iran and his imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union have strained relations between the U.S. and its European allies.

“Given the circumstances, it is of strategic importance that we tell Washington clearly: we want to work together,” Maas wrote. “But we will not allow you to hurt our interests without consulting us.”

The EU has vowed to counter Trump’s renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures.

Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Mark Heinrich

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-germany/germany-urges-eu-payment-system-without-u-s-to-save-iran-deal-idUSKCN1L61KW

[justchecking123]

5 minutes ago, Butifldrm said:

AUGUST 21, 2018 / 10:15 AM / UPDATED 19 HOURS AGO

 

Germany urges EU payment system without U.S. to save Iran deal

 

 

Reuters Staff

3 MIN READ

BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the nuclear deal between Iran and major powers that was abandoned by President Donald Trump, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, Germany August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Joachim Herrmann

“That’s why it is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system,” Maas wrote in the Handelsblatt business daily.

“Every day the deal is alive is better than the highly explosive crisis that would otherwise threaten the Middle East,” he added in the article to be published on Wednesday.

The Belgium-based SWIFT global payment network that facilitates the bulk of the world’s cross-border transactions shut out Iran in 2012 after the United States and EU agreed to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear activities.

The 2015 agreement between Iran and world powers lifted international sanctions. In return, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear activities, increasing the time it would need to produce an atom bomb if it chose to do so. It has long denied having any such intent.

Trump withdrew the United States from the deal - signed before he took office - in May, calling the agreement deeply flawed and imposing new sanctions earlier this month.

European powers have been scrambling to ensure Iran gets enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal. This has proven difficult, with many European firms wary of far-reaching U.S. financial penalties.

Iran urged Europe this week to speed up efforts to salvage the nuclear accord after French oil group Total formally pulled out of a major gas project.

Trump’s decision on Iran and his imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union have strained relations between the U.S. and its European allies.

“Given the circumstances, it is of strategic importance that we tell Washington clearly: we want to work together,” Maas wrote. “But we will not allow you to hurt our interests without consulting us.”

The EU has vowed to counter Trump’s renewed sanctions on Iran, including by means of a new law to shield European companies from punitive measures.

Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Mark Heinrich

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-germany/germany-urges-eu-payment-system-without-u-s-to-save-iran-deal-idUSKCN1L61KW

Interesting to see how other countries actually "follow through" with the Iran sanction situation. 

[yota691]

Iraq intends to request US exemptions from some sanctions on Iran

04:04 - 21/08/2018

 

 

 

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - 
Iraq's economy is so closely tied to Iran that Baghdad will ask Washington to allow it to disobey some US sanctions against its neighbor, Tehran's government and central bank said on Tuesday. According to the agency "Reuters". 
US President Donald Trump earlier this year decided to withdraw the United States from an international agreement aimed at restricting Iran's nuclear program and re-imposing trade sanctions on Tehran. 
Washington said there were consequences for countries that did not respect sanctions. 
Now Baghdad is in a difficult position. Iraq imports important supplies from its ally Iran, but the United States, another key ally of Baghdad, provides aid and security training.
Baghdad's request for exemption from sanctions would represent a significant change in the political tactics of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Abbadi said initially that Baghdad would respect all US sanctions, but faced sharp criticism from his opponents. 
The officials said, according to "Reuters," that "a delegation will travel to Washington to seek exemptions from the application of sanctions, but did not disclose the date of the visit." 
"The government is planning to ask for an exemption from Washington," said a central bank official. 
An official in Abadi's office declined to comment. 
A US State Department official said the ministry was discussing Iran's policy with its partners around the world. 
"We have given the same message to all countries in the world, that the President said that the United States is fully committed to the implementation of all our sanctions."
"Iraq is a friend and important partner of the United States, and we are committed to ensuring Iraq's stability and prosperity." 
Iraqi officials fear a shortage of basic goods if Baghdad commits all sanctions. This may cause political turmoil at a delicate time in the Iraqi political arena. 
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Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, household appliances, air conditioners and auto parts. 
The value of goods imported by Iraq from Iran amounted to about $ 6 billion in the 12 months ended March 2018, representing about 15 percent of Iraq's total imports in 2017. 
There are also energy contracts between the two countries contribute to the trade of $ 12 billion last year.
Officials say they are asking each ministry to draw up a list of necessary imports for the Iraqi economy. Exemptions will be requested for such goods. 
US sanctions, which came into effect earlier this month, targeted Iran's trade in gold and other precious metals, and Tehran's purchases of the US dollar and the country's auto sector. The rest of the sanctions will enter into force in November