Iranian official calls for negotiations with Washington in Iraq

[Butifldrm]

US v IRAN: Trump issues furious ULTIMATUM to European Union leaders - back US or THEM

EUROPEAN Union chiefs have been warned by Donald Trump’s team to make a choice between United States and Iran.

By ROB VIRTUE

PUBLISHED: 10:38, Wed, Aug 22, 2018 | UPDATED: 12:24, Wed, Aug 22, 2018

 

 

US sanctions are having a strong effect on Iran's economy and popular opinion, though regime change there is not part of Washington's policy, President Donald Trump's national security adviser said.

The Trump administration re-imposed sanctions this month after withdrawing from the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran, which Washington saw as inadequate for curbing Tehran's activities in neighbouring Middle East countries and denying it the means to make an atomic bomb.

However, EU bosses have threatened not to follow US sanctions and Mr Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton fired a warning to Brussels saying: ”We expect that Europeans will see, as businesses all over Europe are seeing, that the choice between doing business with Iran or doing business with the United States is very clear to them.

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"So we will see what plays out in November. But the president (Trump) has made it very clear - his words - he wants maximum pressure on Iran, maximum pressure, and that is what is going on."

He added: "There should not be any doubt that the United States wants this resolved peacefully, but we are fully prepared for any contingency that Iran creates."

The US turnaround outraged Iran, which has taken a defiant stance, and has rattled other world powers where some businesses have been debating whether to divest from the Islamic Republic.

He said: “Let me be clear, the reimposition of the sanctions, we think, is already having a significant effect on Iran's economy and on, really, popular opinion inside Iran.”

Iran news: Donald Trump's advisor issued an angry message to Juncker (Image: GETTY)

Trump has made it very clear - his words - he wants maximum pressure on Iran

John Bolton

At a news conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Mr Bolton was asked whether the United States had discussed any plans with Israel on how to capitalise on economic protests in Iran and if the demonstrations posed any tangible threat to the Tehran government.

He said: “Regime change in Iran is not American policy. But what we want is massive change in the regime's behaviour.”

The Iranian economy has been beset by high unemployment and inflation and a rial currency that has lost half its value since April. The reimposition of sanctions could make matters worse.

Thousands of Iranians have protested 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.

Mr Bolton said: ”I think the effects, the economic effects certainly, are even stronger than we anticipated.

"But Iranian activity in the region has continued to be belligerent: what they are doing in Iraq, what they are doing in Syria, what they are doing with Hezbollah in Lebanon, what they are doing in Yemen, what they have threatened to do in the Strait of Hormuz."

The Strait is a strategic waterway for oil shipments which Iran's Revolutionary Guards have threatened to block in response to Trump administration calls to ban all Iranian oil exports.

Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran in August, targeting its trade in gold and other precious metals, purchases of US dollars and its car industry.

Mr Trump has said the United States will issue another round of tougher sanctions in November that will target Iran's oil sales and banking sector.

At the news conference, Mr Bolton said: "We are going to do other things to put pressure on Iran as well, beyond economic sanctions."

He did not elaborate.

 

John Bolton issued the warning on a visit to Israel (Image: GETTY)

Germany called on Tuesday for Europe to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the Iran nuclear agreement.

European powers have been scrambling to ensure Iran secures enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal.

This had proven difficult, with many European firms wary of far-reaching financial penalties by the Trump administration. French oil group Total pulled out a major gas project in Iran.

Mr Bolton said: ”We expect that Europeans will see, as businesses all over Europe are seeing, that the choice between doing business with Iran or doing business with the United States is very clear to them.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani is facing pressure and civil unrest (Image: REUTERS)

"So we will see what plays out in November. But the president (Trump) has made it very clear - his words - he wants maximum pressure on Iran, maximum pressure, and that is what is going on."

He added: "There should not be any doubt that the United States wants this resolved peacefully, but we are fully prepared for any contingency that Iran creates."

The pact between Iran and world powers lifted international sanctions that had been throttling the Iranian economy. In return, Iran accepted restrictions on its nuclear activities, increasing the time it would need to produce an atomic bomb if it chose to do so. It has long denied having any such intent.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1006777/Iran-news-us-iran-latest-donald-trump-EU

[Pitcher]

Iran cleric says Israel and US will be targeted if Washington attacks

Iranian president says Tehran's military prowess deters Washington from attacking.

 

Iranian cleric Ahmad Khatami delivers a sermon in Tehran in 2009. Retuers

A senior Iranian cleric warned Washington on Wednesday that if it attacked Iran, the United States and allied Israel would be targeted, as a war of words escalated after the reimposition of the US sanctions on Iran.

Ahmad Khatami also told worshippers attending Eid prayers in Tehran that President Donald Trump’s offer of talks with Iranian leaders was unacceptable, as the US leader wanted Tehran to concede on its missile programme and regional influence.

"Americans say you should accept what we say in the talks. So this is not negotiation, but dictatorship. The Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation would stand up against dictatorship," Mr Khatami was quoted as saying by Mizan news agency.

"The price of a war with Iran is very high for America. They know if they harm this country and this state in the slightest way, the United States and its main ally in the region, the Zionist regime [of Israel] would be targeted," Mr Khatami said.

Mr Khatami did not elaborate which forces would carry out such attacks, but Iran has said it could target Israeli cities with its missiles if it is threatened. Iran also has proxies in the region, including Lebanon's Hezbollah group.

__________

Read more:

US 'not seeking regime change in Iran', says John Bolton

Iran reveals first domestic fighter jet in show of force

__________

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran's military prowess was what deterred Washington from attacking it, and vowed to boost the Islamic Republic's military might.

The Trump administration slapped sanctions back on Iran this month after withdrawing from the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran, saying it was too soft on Tehran and would not stop it developing a nuclear bomb.

Washington imposed new sanctions in August, targeting Iran's car industry, trade in gold and other precious metals, and purchases of US dollars. President Trump has said the United States will issue another round of tougher sanctions in November that will target Iran's oil sales and banking sector.

__________

Read more:

Netanyahu and Bolton discussions focus on Iran nuclear programme

US sanctions on Iran increase Tehran's influence in Iraq, experts say

__________

President Trump's national security adviser told Reuters on Wednesday that the US president wanted maximum pressure on Iran.

"There should not be any doubt that the United States wants this resolved peacefully, but we are fully prepared for any contingency that Iran creates,” John Bolton said.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected Trump's offer of unconditional talks on a new nuclear deal, prompting President Trump to tell Reuters in an interview on Monday: "If they want to meet, that's fine, and if they don't want to meet, I couldn't care less."

 

https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/iran-cleric-says-israel-and-us-will-be-targeted-if-washington-attacks-1.762825

[Pitcher]

They get one shot before total annihilation.  Come to think about it, maybe NOT.  

[CSM (R) Thack]

14 minutes ago, Pitcher said:

They get one shot before total annihilation.  Come to think about it, maybe NOT.  

No warning shot!!!

[10 YEARS LATER]

19 minutes ago, CSM (R) Thackrey said:

No warning shot!!!

 

Been awhile since the last Shock & Awe - I think we have a goodly stock of Cruise missles, Smart bombs, MOAB’s and the like now: I’d hate to see them get dusty. Perhaps we might find a “ use “ for them. 

Edited August 22, 2018 by 10 YEARS LATER

[CSM (R) Thack]

12 minutes ago, 10 YEARS LATER said:

 

Been awhile since the last Shock & Awe - I think we have a goodly stock of Cruise missles, Smart bombs, MOAB’s and the like now: I’d hate to see them get dusty. Perhaps we might find a “ use “ for them. 

Hooah!!!!🇺🇸

[Butifldrm]

 

2018/08/22 21:06

• Number of readings 52
• Section: Iraq
• 
• 
•  
•  

Saladin: The survival of the popular crowd in the province of the utmost necessities

Baghdad / Al-Masala: The Salahuddin Provincial Council on Wednesday, August 22, 2018, called for the need to keep the popular mobilization forces in the province to maintain security and stability, stressing that the presence of popular mobilization alongside the security forces is absolutely necessary.

"The presence of the popular mobilization forces alongside the security forces in the province of Salah al-Din has become a necessity, but outside the residential cities," the statement quoted the secretary-general of the council Khaled al-Khazraji as saying.

Al-Khazraji added that "the Salahuddin Governorate Council, while keeping the popular mobilization forces in the province, because the preacher has become a presence and thought not only in Iraq, but in the region and the world," stressing "the need to activate the intelligence effort within cities."

Follow the obelisk 

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/147958/صلاح-الدين-بقاء-الحشد-الشعبي-في-المحافظة-من-الضروريات-القصوى

[Butifldrm]

 

2018/08/22 18:38

• Number of readings 919
• Section: Arab and World
•  

Iran threatens to strike America and Israel in response to threat of Trump's aide

-----------------------------------

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran warned on Wednesday that it would hit US and Israeli targets if it came under attack from the United States after US Defense Secretary Donald Trump's security adviser John Bolton said Washington would put maximum pressure on Tehran beyond economic sanctions.

The war of words between the United States and Iran has escalated since the Trump Declaration in May, Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear deal signed between Tehran and six world powers, describing it as flawed, and the US president again imposed sanctions on Tehran to strangle its economy and force it to renegotiate or change its policies.

The US change, which has shaken a cautious breakthrough between the two countries after decades of hostility, has met Tehran despite renewed turmoil over economic difficulties and worries of other major powers that are still considering the idea of pulling out of Tehran.

The US national security adviser John Bolton told Reuters that the re-imposition of US sanctions has a strong impact on Iran's economy and public opinion there.

He added during a visit to Israel: There should be no doubt the desire of the United States to resolve the issue peacefully, but we are fully prepared for any prospects on the part of Iran.

Washington imposed new sanctions targeting Iran's auto industry, gold and precious metals trading and Tehran's purchases of the US dollar. Trump said the United States would impose another package of sanctions, which would be stronger in November, targeting Iranian oil sales and the banking sector.

European powers are seeking to ensure Iran has enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal, and how hard it is because many European companies are concerned about large-scale US sanctions and the French oil group Total has pulled out of a major gas project in Iran.

"We expect Europeans, as companies across Europe know, to realize that the choice is very clear between dealing with Iran and dealing with the United States," Bolton said.

At a news conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Bolton was asked whether the United States had discussed any plans with Israel on how to take advantage of economic protests in Iran and whether the demonstrations posed any threat to the Tehran government.

Bolton replied: Let us be clear: regime change in Iran is not an American policy, but what we want is a radical change in the regime's behavior.

Follow the obelisk - agencies

Share the news

 

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/147948/إيران-تهدد-بضرب-أمريكا-وإسرائيل-ردا-على-تهديد-مساعد-ترامب

[Butifldrm]

 

2018/08/22 17:18

• Number of readings 126
• Bolton: Washington does not want to change the regime in Iran, but change its behavior

 

-----------------------------------

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States is not seeking regime change in Iran but wants a "big change" in its behavior, White House national security adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday.

At the end of a visit to Israel, Bolton warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that the United States would respond "very strongly" if chemical weapons were used in Idlib, the last stronghold of Syrian militants.

Bolton, who joined the Trump administration last April, made the remarks at a press conference in Jerusalem at the end of a three-day visit focused on Iran, Israel's main enemy.

Israel and the United States' policy on Iran is consistent with the Trump administration.

"Let's be clear," Bolton said. "US policy does not mean regime change. What we want is a major change in the regime's behavior."

Before taking office, Bolton was a proponent of regime change in Iran.

He said that after the United States out of the Iranian nuclear agreement and the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran: "We have seen a very negative impact on Iran, I think even more severe than we expected."

In a repetition of Israel's position, he said the nuclear deal allowed Tehran to fund armed activities in the region because of lifting sanctions.

European countries have sought to salvage the nuclear deal and said it is achieving its goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons at the moment.

Chemical attack

Bolton is due to meet with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Thursday to discuss the situation in Syria.

The Trump summit and Russian President Vladimir Putin will also be held in Helsinki in July, and controversy has been raised in Washington.

Tehran, along with Moscow, supports the Syrian president's regime in the conflict in Syria.

Israel has pushed Russia to keep at least Iranian forces and its allies, such as Hezbollah, far from the ceasefire line in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

According to Bolton, Putin told US officials that he also wanted Iranian troops out of Syria because the interests of the two countries were not exactly identical, but he said, "I can not do it myself."

"The point is that Russian-American efforts may be sufficient," Bolton said.

"Now I do not know if that was true, but it will definitely be one of the issues I will discuss with my Russian counterpart in Geneva tomorrow."

 

Follow the obelisk - agencies

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/147944/بولتون-واشنطن-لا-تريد-تغيير-النظام-في-إيران-بل-تغيير-سلوكه

 

 

[Pitcher]

Iran will not change.  They have oil and they have customers who are willing to do business with them in spite of the sanctions. I’m not sure what the EU is thinking. A nuclear and armed to the teeth Iran will not be good for them.  

[10 YEARS LATER]

4 hours ago, Pitcher said:

Iran will not change.  They have oil and they have customers who are willing to do business with them in spite of the sanctions. I’m not sure what the EU is thinking. A nuclear and armed to the teeth Iran will not be good for them.  

 

The EU is Chock Full of Greedy Socialist Appeasers . . . Someday their " Chickens will come home to Roost "

 

They reason by giving in to Iran they'll go easy on on them and cooperate. Too late the Muslim immigrant issue  ( by design ) in Europe is now a very big problem and in the UK it really is going to the Tipping Point. 

[gregp]

5 hours ago, 10 YEARS LATER said:

 

The EU is Chock Full of Greedy Socialist Appeasers . . . Someday their " Chickens will come home to Roost "

 

They reason by giving in to Iran they'll go easy on on them and cooperate. Too late the Muslim immigrant issue  ( by design ) in Europe is now a very big problem and in the UK it really is going to the Tipping Point. 

 

Exactly!

[WheresmyRV?]

Big mistake by what Bolton just stated.  That regime needs to go before any trade or dealings.  I wish Trump would do something about that tyranny once and for all.

[Butifldrm]

Economist: Iraq's payments to Iran either through smuggling or laundering

Since 37 minutes

NRT 

The central bank governor's recent statement on the suspension of banking transactions between Baghdad and Tehran since 2012 raises many questions about how to transfer Iraqi payments for imports, with the arrival of private sector imports daily about 40 million dollars .

"If this is the case, it means that Iraqi banks can not open credits and send letters of guarantee to finance international trade payments between Iraq and Iran, " said Nabil al-Marsoumi, an economist at a page on his Facebook page on Thursday (August 23, 2018) .

 He added that Iraqi private sector imports from Iran have recently doubled from $ 20 to $ 40 million a day. Government revenues from gas and electricity are being financed either by smuggling the dollar into Iran or through money laundering through the Iraqi banking system, In the central bank .

The United States has imposed trade sanctions on Iran, including the prohibition of the conversion of the dollar to Tehran, threatening countries to face the same sanctions in case of non-compliance.

For his part, Iraq confirmed through Prime Minister Haider Abadi his full commitment to those sanctions, especially with regard to the conversion of the dollar. 

P

http://www.nrttv.com/AR/News.aspx?id=3646&MapID=2

[Butifldrm]

Newspaper policy : Iran's allies in Iraq are determined to secure "organized smuggling"

 

 Twilight News    

 

 3 hours ago

 

 

The dispute between the Iraqi political parties widened on the government's position on US sanctions, as a source in the central bank revealed a close delegation to Washington for exemptions from some sanctions on Iran, according to Al-Arab newspaper.

The prime minister's refusal to confirm the news, issued by the central bank, headed by Ali al-Maliki, a member of the Nuri al-Maliki faction of the Dawa Party, known for his loyalty to Iran, shows that US sanctions have become a hot front between the political parties as they race to form a new government.

Political parties opposed to Iranian influence support Iraq's compliance with US sanctions, while Iran's voices warn of the dangers of Iraq's compliance with those sanctions.

Washington says countries that do not respect sanctions will face significant consequences after the first phase of sanctions is launched on Aug. 7 and the second phase is about to begin on Nov. 5.

The impact of the sanctions is limited to preventing the circulation of the dollar, gold and car trade because the sanctions do not include the export of consumer goods and Iranian foodstuffs that dominate the Iraqi market, but the suspension of trading in dollars can confuse most commercial activities.

Observers say that Iran's followers in Iraq are trying to collect the dollar from Iraqi markets by any means and that it reached the circulation of counterfeit Iraqi currency printed in Iran.

It seems that Iraq will have difficulties adapting to the sanctions because it imports a lot of goods from Iran without giving them anything. It will be difficult for Baghdad to anger Washington, its main ally, providing military support and assistance and overseeing security training.

There is still uncertainty surrounding a request for exemption from sanctions after Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi initially announced that Baghdad would abide by all US sanctions, but relaxed his position after being sharply criticized by his opponents, who owe allegiance to Tehran.

"The government is planning to ask for an exemption from Washington," a central bank official said, adding that a delegation would travel to Washington for the purpose, but did not say when the visit would take place, while an official in Abadi's office declined to comment.

Iraqi officials fear a shortage of basic goods if Baghdad commits all sanctions. This could lead to unrest at a very delicate time in Iraq's political arena.

Iraq imports a wide range of goods from Iran, including food, agricultural products, household appliances, air conditioners and auto parts, which last year amounted to more than $ 6 billion, or 15 percent of Iraq's total imports.

There are also energy contracts between the two countries contributing to trade, which amounted to 12 billion dollars last year. Iraqi officials say they have asked each ministry to compile a list of imports necessary to apply for exemptions.

Abadi stressed that Iraq would respect the sanctions on dollar transactions, which will be the most difficult for companies and block energy deals and large trade agreements, because it means preventing banks and the Iraqi government from paying dollars to the Iranian authorities.

The central bank has instructed banks to abide by the ban on dollar trading, but said it would allow euro-denominated transactions.

Analysts say all countries opposed to US sanctions, including France, Britain and Germany, find it difficult to persuade their companies to continue to deal with Iran, although it is making great efforts to maintain trade with Iran.

In particular, sanctions affect companies operating in the United States. US President Donald Trump said those conducting activities in Iran would not be able to carry out activities in the United States.

But a Western diplomat in Baghdad stressed that most private companies in Iraq would not be relatively affected by the sanctions because they "have no US investment, do not deal with the dollar and can continue to deal with Iran without problems."

An Iraqi Ministry of Commerce official said energy, construction and government-run vehicles and the public sector would be more vulnerable.

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

Iraqi traders are likely to continue their dealings with the Iranians, despite Baghdad's pledge to comply with sanctions because of falling commodity prices as a result of the fall in the Iranian riyal.

"It is impossible for the government to prevent the flow of Iranian primary goods through a common border of more than 1,300 km," said an economist and a member of the Iraqi Businessmen's Union, Antoine.

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 the May elections. Abadi is trying to stay as a consensus prime minister after he has struck a balance between US and Iranian interests.

 

Keywords: 

http://www.shafaaq.com/ar/Ar_NewsReader/855df3bd-5725-4d62-a6ac-2145c1dd3e2c

[yota691]

America chooses Europe with Iran: sanctions are more effective than expected

Thursday 23 August 2018

Source: Al-Anbaa - capitals - agencies

 

 

A picture of the American fighter, which Washington says Tehran imitated under the name of Al-Kawthar (CNN Arabic) 

• Washington: The Iranian fighter "Kawther" is a scrap we produced decades ago!

The United States has confirmed US national security adviser John Bolton said it is not seeking regime change in Iran but wants to "make a big difference" in its behavior.

"Let us be clear that US policy does not require regime change, but what we want is a major change in the regime's behavior," Bolton said at a press conference in Jerusalem at the end of a three-day visit focused on Iran. The sanctions on Tehran have had a very negative impact on Iran "more severe than we expected".

"We expect the Europeans to see that the choice between doing business with Iran and doing business with the United States is very clear to them," he said.

"There must be no doubt that the United States wants to resolve the issue peacefully, but we are fully prepared for any possibility on the part of Iran," he said.

The State Department's communications team, the Kawther fighter, recently disclosed by Iran, has also criticized it as a national industry, stressing that the Iranian plane is very much like a US-made fighter decades ago.

"The Iranian regime has unveiled a new fighter jet that it said was" sophisticated "and a" domestic industry ", officials said on its official page in a tweet on Twitter." It seems that regime officials are not sufficiently aware of the evolution of the aviation industry.

Their pie is very much like a US-made fighter decades ago, and Iran has an old fleet.

But deception is their favorite tool. "

The Iranian Tasnim agency said in a report that the fighter, described by the American media as "scrap", has advanced specifications.

[Pitcher]

Bolton says the Iranian militias must get out of Syria

President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Thursday he and his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev had discussed nuclear nonproliferation, Iran, North Korea, arms control, and Middle East issues including Syria and Afghanistan, according to the ABC News.
He said he had expressed the U.S. "priority of getting all Iranian forces out of Syria," and reiterated that Putin had told Bolton in a recent meeting that the Russians too "would like to see the Iranians go home as well, we (the Russians) are just not sure we alone can accomplish it."

 

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/30893/Bolton-says-the-Iranian-militias-must-get-out-of-Syria

[Pitcher]

Iran has no business being in Syria, Yemen, or Iraq.

[Pitcher]

EU Might Back Proposal For SWIFT-Like Payment System With Iran

By Irina Slav - Aug 23, 2018, 9:30 AM CDT

The European Union is looking favorably at a proposal by Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to set a SWIFT-like payment system between the union and Iran as a way of avoiding U.S. sanctions, Sputnik reports, quoting a source from the EU.

“Various ideas [on the matter] are being voiced, and at present, one can say that it is an important contribution in terms of efforts to secure the Iran nuclear deal,” the source, who was not named, said. Whether or not Maas’ proposal will be discussed officially by EU officials remains to be seen.

Europe is among Iran’s top oil destinations and has demonstrated its eagerness to keep the nuclear deal and continue buying Iranian crude. Earlier this year, after President Trump pulled the United States out of the deal, the EU enacted a blocking mechanism from the 1990s that will effectively oblige European companies doing business in Iran to not comply with the U.S. sanctions. The EU also granted the European Investment Bank an external lending mandate to protect these European companies.

 

Despite these EU assurances that European companies could continue doing business as usual with Iran, European refiners began reducing their intake of Iranian oil pretty much as soon as Trump announced the U.S. pullout of the nuclear deal in May. At the time, Reuters quoted an Italian refiner as saying, “It is not clear yet what the U.S. administration can do but in practice we can get into trouble.”

Reuters also quoted sources from the industry as saying that all the large European refiners from Eni and Total to Repsol and Cepsa, were preparing to stop buying oil from Iran. Total later pulled out of the South Pars gas project in Iran. This means that the French company is at risk for punitive action from the EU, which makes the whole situation begin to look like the theater of the absurd.

 

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/EU-Might-Back-Proposal-For-SWIFT-Like-Payment-System-With-Iran.html

[ChuckFinley]

18 hours ago, Butifldrm said:

 

2018/08/22 18:38

• Number of readings 919
• Section: Arab and World
•  

Iran threatens to strike America and Israel in response to threat of Trump's aide

-----------------------------------

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran warned on Wednesday that it would hit US and Israeli targets if it came under attack from the United States after US Defense Secretary Donald Trump's security adviser John Bolton said Washington would put maximum pressure on Tehran beyond economic sanctions.

The war of words between the United States and Iran has escalated since the Trump Declaration in May, Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear deal signed between Tehran and six world powers, describing it as flawed, and the US president again imposed sanctions on Tehran to strangle its economy and force it to renegotiate or change its policies.

The US change, which has shaken a cautious breakthrough between the two countries after decades of hostility, has met Tehran despite renewed turmoil over economic difficulties and worries of other major powers that are still considering the idea of pulling out of Tehran.

The US national security adviser John Bolton told Reuters that the re-imposition of US sanctions has a strong impact on Iran's economy and public opinion there.

He added during a visit to Israel: There should be no doubt the desire of the United States to resolve the issue peacefully, but we are fully prepared for any prospects on the part of Iran.

Washington imposed new sanctions targeting Iran's auto industry, gold and precious metals trading and Tehran's purchases of the US dollar. Trump said the United States would impose another package of sanctions, which would be stronger in November, targeting Iranian oil sales and the banking sector.

European powers are seeking to ensure Iran has enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal, and how hard it is because many European companies are concerned about large-scale US sanctions and the French oil group Total has pulled out of a major gas project in Iran.

"We expect Europeans, as companies across Europe know, to realize that the choice is very clear between dealing with Iran and dealing with the United States," Bolton said.

At a news conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Bolton was asked whether the United States had discussed any plans with Israel on how to take advantage of economic protests in Iran and whether the demonstrations posed any threat to the Tehran government.

Bolton replied: Let us be clear: regime change in Iran is not an American policy, but what we want is a radical change in the regime's behavior.

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That will be all it takes for them to bring down a wipe A$$.

[Freedomwish]

7 minutes ago, Pitcher said:

The European Union is looking favorably at a proposal by Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to set a SWIFT-like payment system between the union and Iran as a way of avoiding U.S. sanctions, Sputnik reports, quoting a source from the EU.

 

Whoa.....huh?

 

[Jaygo]

28 minutes ago, ChuckFinley said:

That will be all it takes for them to bring down a wipe A$$.

 

Have they not seen what we do to others that try to f with us???!!!

[ChuckFinley]

2 hours ago, Jaygo said:

 

Have they not seen what we do to others that try to f with us???!!!

Everyone thing that they have a better plan or they think are smarter. 

[ChuckFinley]

55 minutes ago, ChuckFinley said:

Everyone thinks that they have a better plan or they think they are smarter. 

 

[Pitcher]

Google deletes accounts with ties to Iran on YouTube and other sites

 

 

 

 

Google announced Thursday that it deleted 58 accounts with ties to Iran on its video platformYouTube and its other sites, the latest sign that foreign agents from around the world increasingly seek to spread disinformation on a broad array of popular websites, The Washington Post reported.
The new removals targeted 39 channels on YouTube, which had more than 13,000 views in the United States, as well 13 accounts on the social-networking site Google Plus and six accounts on Blogger, its blogging platform, the company said. Kent Walker, Google’s senior vice president for global affairs, said in a blog post that each of the accounts had ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, or IRIB, which is tied to Iran’s ayatollah, and that they “disguised their connection to this effort.”

Google’s announcement comes days after Facebook suspended hundreds of accounts on its site and photo-sharing app, Instagram, that originated in Iran as well as Russia, and Twitter made a similar move. At the time, YouTube confirmed it had removed one account, called Liberty Front Press, which appeared to have connections to Iranian state media.
 

 

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/Story/30902/Google-deletes-accounts-with-ties-to-Iran-on-YouTube-and-other-sites