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Trump says US ‘moving forward’ with additional sanctions on Iran


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Old Thread if anyone wants to view history..

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Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said Baghdad will send teams to Tehran and Washington to calm tensions. (File/AFP)
Updated 22 May 2019
ARAB NEWS
May 21, 201915:48
 
  • Iraqi delegations to visit both countries
  • “US and Iranian officials have assured us that they do not want to go to war,” says PM
 
 
 

BAGHDAD: Iraq will send delegations to Tehran and Washington over the next few days in an attempt to ease tensions in the region, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday.

“Iraq has conducted high-level contacts (between the US and Iran), and its vision is very close to the European vision to resolve the crisis in the region,” Abdul Mahdi said.

“US and Iranian officials have assured us that they do not want to go to war. So we will send delegations to Washington and Tehran.”

Tensions started to rise between the two countries after the US withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, otherwise known as the Iran nuclear deal, in May 2018.

Since then, the US has imposed economic sanctions on Iran. US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that Iran would be met with “great force” if it attacked American interests in the Middle East.

Iraq has been a battleground for the US and Iran since 2003. Both countries enjoy significant influence in the region.

Iraqi leaders believe that their country could become the first confrontation zone if war breaks out between the two nations.

“Iraq is in the stage of transferring messages between Washington and Tehran as we try to defuse the crisis between the two sides,” Abdul Mahdi said.

“It is our responsibility to defend Iraq and its people, and secure them from the threat of war.”

During a visit to Baghdad earlier this month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Abdul Mahdi that targeting any US interests in Iraq will be dealt with militarily.

A Katyusha rocket was fired on Sunday into Baghdad’s Green Zone, which houses government offices and embassies, including the US Embassy.

The rocket fire came days after the US evacuated staff from Iraq, citing threats from Iran. It was not clear who was behind the attack, which caused no casualties.

The attack “embarrassed” the Iraqi government, which has pledged to secure diplomatic missions and protect US interests, senior Iraqi officials told Arab News.

The Iraqi president, prime minister and speaker of Parliament, as well as heads of political blocs and commanders of armed factions linked to Iran, have held meetings over the past few days.

“We’re working together to invest our relations with the two parties (the US and Iran) in order to ease the tension and find peaceful solutions,” Ahmad Al-Assadi, head of an Iraqi parliamentary bloc, told Arab News.

“The outbreak of war between America and Iran will cause great damage to the entire region. Iraq will be the biggest loser because it’s in the heart of the storm.”

During the meetings, political leaders and representatives of armed factions linked to Iran agreed on a 12-point document that aims “to keep Iraq away from the ongoing struggle between the US and Iran by all possible means.” Al-Assadi said the Iraqi Parliament will vote on the approved document.

Dozens of paramilitary troops associated with Iran operate in Iraq, and present the biggest challenge for the Iraqi government and political leaders.

“We agreed that no armed faction is allowed to ignite the war inside Iraq for any reason, and whoever violates this deal will be considered our enemy,” one of the leaders linked to Iran, who participated in the meetings, told Arab News.

“We don’t want to be blamed for this war, but the situation may change if the US insists on starting this war inside Iraq.”

 

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The US ambassador comments on the Iraqi mediation between Washington and Tehran and confirms: Our forces did not increase

Political | 04:11 - 22/05/2019

 
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BAGHDAD ( 
Reuters) - US charge d'affaires Joe Hood said on Wednesday he was unaware of Iraqi mediation to bring the country closer to Iran, while the number of US troops in Iraq has not increased. 
"We do not know of the existence of Iraqi mediation between his country and Iran," he said in an interview with a number of media outlets including Mawazin News. "He welcomes the opportunity to consult with the Iraqi government. 
 "It is possible to communicate with Iran directly and the embassy's objective is to sustain the stability of Iraq to be strong and stable and protect it from any tension in the region," he said. 
On the news of an increase in the number of US troops in Iraq, the charge d'affaires said: "There is no increase in our forces during the current time."

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15:37
Last updated
The time now is 03:45 PM
91
Watch
 
 
Follow - up / Tomorrow 's Press: 

confirmed experts in the Russian Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, on Wednesday, that the uranium reserves, owned by the Islamic Republic today, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency reports, enough to make their own bombs.


They pointed out that the chemical component alone is not enough, there must be the devices of bombing and the compact shell, which is not currently owned by Iranians. 

According to recent IAEA reports on Iran, issued in February, the country's total uranium reserves are 202.8 kg. 

The proportion of enriched uranium to 3.67, the limit allowed for peaceful use according to the nuclear deal, up to 149.4 kg. 

"The need to enrich uranium by at least 90 percent to make a nuclear bomb," the chief scientist of the Joint Nuclear Research Institute, Igor Golotvin, told the Izvestia newspaper, stressing that Iran's industrial capability and uranium reserves were in order. 

The researcher also noted that there are faster ways to make a nuclear bomb, without resorting to the use of uranium, and replace it with plutonium, but Iran does not have reserves of this element now.

According to the physical engineer and expert at the Russian Social Environmental Association, Andrei Ogarovsky, Iran is able to use spent fuel in nuclear power plants, as well as uranium and plutonium to make the bomb. 

"Of course, the resulting material will be much less good, and the warheads will not be integrated, but in this case Iran will be able to make a nuclear bomb in less than a year," Ogarowski said. "If the state has enough energy, I mean centrifuges, there is no problem with launching a nuclear project within a year." 

He pointed out that the manufacture of warheads not only depends on technical capabilities, they need, in addition to the filling, detonator and external structure. 

However, Iran has no plans to build a nuclear bomb, although Iran's current capacity is sufficient to make it, experts say.

It should be noted that the "nuclear deal" had committed Iran to limit its nuclear development in exchange for lifting or easing sanctions on the Islamic Republic, and concluded in July of 2015, but the United States withdrew from the Treaty in May last year, on the grounds that Tehran Continues to develop its nuclear program in secret. 

"Iran will suspend the sale of enriched uranium and heavy water, and the suspension will continue for 60 days," Iranian President Hassan Rowhani said in a speech broadcast on the Press TV in May. "Iran will take two more steps if the member states do not come to Tehran and Bridge the imbalance between us and them. "
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The United States Of America IS NOT going to “mediate” AND/OR “negotiate” the Bicraqi Iraqi AND Insanian, to INCLUDE the Insanian IRGC, “segregated” “postures” AND “positions” AWAY OR “allow” ANY “lil’” “muddle” “men” “interfere” BUT TO KEEP THEM BUSY, BUSY COURIERS OF “imminent” “necessary” “responsive” “actions”!!!

 

THE “lil’” “muddle” “men” “mediation” ONLY MAINTAIN the Insanian, to INCLUDE the Insanian IRGC, “status” “quo” ONLY SERVING the Insanians to INCLUDE Insanian IRGC!!!

 

:facepalm3:   :facepalm3:   :facepalm3:

 

!!!BOOM!!!

 

!!!SUDDENLY!!!

 

Go Moola Nova!

:pirateship:

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Why are we shutting down threads?

 

 

"Debka" Israeli: US-Iranian secret meetings in Qatar or Iraq

580-1.jpg

 

Policy ,Israel ,Iran ,America ,Iraq ,Qatar

 2019/05/22 10:20:59

A- A A +

Israeli and American delegates are in Qatar or Iraq to reach an agreement that will ease the escalating tension between the United States and Iran. 
The website added that Qatar or Iraq hosts representatives or representatives of the United States and Iran, to discuss between them in order to reach an agreement satisfactory to both parties, and ease the ongoing tension between the two countries. 
According to the intelligence site, the initial secret contacts between Tehran and Washington do not promise to ease the military tension or skirmishes between the two sides, although US President Donald Trump said he did not want war with Iran, which Iranian leader Ali Khamenei said there will be no war with the United States .
The head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee in the Iranian parliament, Hishmatullah Fallah Bishah had called a few days ago to an Iranian-American dialogue in Iraq or Qatar, the goal is to manage the escalating tension in the region. 
"There is a third party rushing to war and destroy the region," Bush said in a tweet on Twitter, although US and Iranian officials have denied a war between Washington and Tehran. 
The crisis between the United States and Iran escalated last week after Washington sent the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with a number of B-52 bombers to the Gulf, before the Patriot missile defense system was deployed in the region. 
Relations between Washington and Tehran have become more strained in the wake of Trump's decision this month to try to halt Iran's oil exports altogether and strengthen the US presence in the Gulf, in response to what he said were Iranian threats.

https://www.shafaaq.com/ar/سیاسة/ديبكا-الإسرائيلي-لقاءات-سرية-أميركية-إيرانية-في-قطر-أو-العراق/

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Supreme leader criticises Iran's politicians amid US tensions

Ayatollah Khamenei's comments come after Iran announced it quadrupled its production capacity of low-enriched uranium.

4 hours ago
 
 
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly chastised his ministers over the nuclear deal [Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP]
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly chastised his ministers over the nuclear deal [Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP]

Iran's supreme leader publicly chastised the country's president and foreign minister on Wednesday, saying he disagreed with the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal they negotiated with world powers.

The extraordinary comments by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the first time he's criticised both politicians by name, came amid tensions with the United States a year after Washington's withdrawal from the accord.

Khamenei has the final say on all matters of state, and his blaming the deal's unravelling limits the influence of President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif - relative moderates within Iran's theocracy who had struck the deal.

It also shows the growing power of Iran's hardliners.

"To some extent, I did not believe in the way that the nuclear deal was implemented," Khamenei said, according to his official website. "Many times I reminded both the president and the foreign minister."

Khamenei had given his implicit stamp of approval on the deal, which when signed sparked spontaneous celebration across Iran. The accord saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.

 

But the agreement has unravelled after US President Donald Trump's withdrawal and the reimposition of old sanctions and even stricter new ones.

Khamenei has previously warned the West, especially the US, was not trustworthy. But he hasn't named the country's top elected politician and his top diplomat before Wednesday night.

He's previously said Rouhani and Zarif had done the best they could.

Iran-US tensions

The White House earlier this month sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region over a still-unexplained threat it perceived from Iran.

Since that development, Iran has announced it will back away from the atomic accord. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, alleged that four oil tankers were sabotaged off its coast, and Iranian-allied rebels in Yemen have launched drone attacks into Saudi Arabia.

Both Washington and Tehran have said they want to ease heightened tensions in the region in recent days. But many fear a miscalculation between the two countries, who have a 40-year history of mistrust, could escalate the situation.

Khamenei's comments come after Iran on Monday announced it had quadrupled its production capacity of low-enriched uranium. Iranian officials made a point to stress the uranium would be enriched only to the 3.67 percent limit set under the nuclear deal, making it usable for a power plant but far below what is needed for an atomic weapon.

But by increasing production, Iran soon will exceed the stockpile limitations set by the nuclear accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to set new terms for the deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/supreme-leader-criticises-iran-politicians-tensions-190522205021503.html

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Peace is our priority but the world must take a stand against Iran, says Saudi cabinet

 

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May 22, 201914:04

Saudi cabinet says the international community must take firm action against the regime in Tehran

Saudi’s king invites GCC leaders to hold Gulf and Arab summits in Makkah on May 30

JEDDAH: The Saudi cabinet on Tuesday said that while the Kingdom believes all people in the region have a right to live in peace, including the Iranians, the international community must take firm action against the regime in Tehran to prevent it from spreading destruction and chaos.

After a meeting of the Council of Ministers at Assalam Palace, presided over by King Salman, Turki Al-Shabanah, the minister of media, told the Saudi Press Agency that the cabinet reviewed reports on regional and global development, and the king invited GCC leaders to hold Gulf and Arab summits in Makkah on May 30. The invitation reflects the Kingdom’s desire to work with other nations to boost security and stability in the region, the minister said, especially in light of the Iran’s continuing aggressive actions. The regime’s recent activities threaten regional and international peace and security, and the supply and stability of international oil markets, he added.

Al-Shabanah reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to peace and said it will make every effort to prevent war. The nation’s hand is always extended, he added, in the belief that everyone in the region, including the Iranians, has the right to live in a secure and stable environment.

However, the cabinet called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities by taking a firm stance against the actions of the regime in Tehran, to prevent its disruptive and destructive activities throughout the world. It also called on Iran to halt the reckless and irresponsible behavior of its agents, to save the region from the dangers they pose and potential repercussions.

The cabinet also expressed the Kingdom’s hopes and expectations that the 14th Ordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, will encourage unity of response to ongoing events in the Islamic world. The summit, chaired by King Salman, will be held in Makkah on May 31 under the title “Makkah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future.”

Ministers heard that the Kingdom has sent $250 million to the Central Bank of Sudan as part of a previously announced package of assistance in partnership with the United Arab Emirates. This latest demonstration of support from the Kingdom to the Sudanese people aims to help stabilize the country’s economy, and strengthen the Sudanese pound in particular, to help improve the lives of the nation’s people.

The cabinet also welcomed the decision of the 14th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee to monitor an oil production reduction agreement concluded in Jeddah, which was headed by the Kingdom and Russia, and affirmed its commitment to balancing the oil market and stabilizing it on a sustainable basis.

Turning to local affairs, the Council of Ministers confirmed the generous support of SR 100 million ($26.7 million) from the king, and SR 30 million from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Jood Housing platform. Launched a day earlier, and supervised by the National Housing Development Association, it aims to accelerate the development process through the introduction of a new model of social solidarity, in which government, charities and commercial entities work together in accordance with regulations designed to provide support for those in need.

The council also discussed the results of the 26th meeting of the region’s governors, and praised the king for his directives designed to preserve security and help people throughout the Kingdom.

 

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1500621/saudi-arabia

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 Arab and international


Economy News _ Baghdad

A Turkish official said that his country has stopped completely since the beginning of May to import Iranian oil, a commitment to US sanctions even if it does not agree. 
On the sidelines of a visit by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Yauz Selim Kieran to Washington on Wednesday, an official from the Turkish delegation, who asked not to be named "as a strategic ally" of the United States, "we respect the sanctions." 
The United States has granted eight countries - China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey - exemptions from the sanctions imposed on Iran for six months on May 2. 
The official explained that Turkey had stopped as of May 2 to import Iranian oil.
Turkey has announced that it will stop importing oil from Iran despite its opposition to the US sanctions imposed by Trump after a unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear agreement between the Islamic Republic and the major powers. 
Relations between the United States and Turkey deteriorated after Ankara announced that it would buy the S-400 missile defense system from Russia, the main opponent of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 
The United States responded by suspending Turkey's participation in the F-35 fighter jet project. 
Commenting on the deal, the Turkish deputy foreign minister told reporters in Washington that "this deal was concluded," reiterating that his country will not back down from its decision to buy the S-400 missiles.
The United States fears that the technology used in the S-400 system could be used to collect technical data on NATO military aircraft to which Turkey belongs, which could allow Russia to access such data. 
The Turkish government has proposed to the US administration to form a joint technical working group to dispel US concerns in this regard. 
"We are still waiting for their response," the Turkish official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.


Views 15   Date Added 23/05/2019

 
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Abdul Mahdi is conducting a regional tour to lead mediation between Tehran and Washington

Political | 11:27 - 23/05/2019

 
image
 
 

BAGHDAD - Mawazine News 
revealed a political source familiar, on Thursday, that Abdul Mahdi will visit several countries to discuss the crisis between Iran and America. 
The source said that "the visit of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to Kuwait as well as it will discuss a number of joint files between the two countries, but it is the beginning of a tour in the region Abdul Mahdi planned to implement the mobilization to resolve the crisis between Washington and Iran. 
"He will convince the leaders of the countries of the region that the war will have negative repercussions on the entire region, and will not be any state immune to its harm, Which requires a pause from all countries and pressure on Washington on the one hand, and Iran on the other. " 
He pointed out that "Abdul Mahdi will visit several countries after Kuwait, on this."

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Date of release: 2019/5/23 12:42  194 times read
Iranian official reveals secret visits to foreign delegations authorized by America
The spokesman for Iran's Supreme National Security Council said that visits by foreign officials from various countries, mostly from the United States, have increased to the Islamic Republic of Iran, some of which are publicized and others remain secret.
"As a result of the principled policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, they have been informed, without exception, of the message of the Iranian people based on reason, resistance and steadfastness," Kiwan Khosravi said in a press release. 
"We have told them frankly that our approach is continuing until the behavior is changed and the rights of our country are guaranteed and the transition from speech to practical application is made," he said. 
"There will be no negotiations in any way," said a spokesman for Iran's Supreme National Security Council
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Source:
 
4,573 views
 

The US Treasury Secretary, Marshall Bellingly, has discussed with US officials a list of Iranian companies to stop dealing with them.

"Assistant US Treasury Secretary Marshall Billingsley has submitted a file of Iraqi officials containing a list of Iranian companies and banks that are defying US sanctions across Iraq, which is to be stopped," Al Arabi quoted the source as saying.
 

The source added that "Americans want to ensure that the dollar does not infiltrate from Baghdad to Tehran," adding that "they have a list of Iranian companies and banks operating in Iraq with high investments and involved in large conversions of the US currency to withdraw from the Iraqi market and pumped to Tehran." 

The Assistant Secretary of Treasury visited Baghdad last Monday and met during his visit with President Barham Salih, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Halboussi and Finance Minister Fouad Hussein.
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 Date: 1398 Khordad May 23 - GMT
 
 
 

The US charge d'affaires in Baghdad, "Joy Hood," that the United States exempt Iraq from the embargo on Iran and can buy energy from them.

Hood said in a press conference Wednesday that what matters to America is not affected by the Iraqi economy any crisis and encourage others to invest in Iraq and support institutions in all areas.

He pointed out that the exchange of views under the existing congestion in the region is important and has no knowledge of the existence of Iraqi mediation and Washington can communicate directly with the Iranian side.

 

Source: Sky Press

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Turkey has stopped buying Iranian oil in compliance with US sanctions

By Rudao 3 hours ago
Turkey has announced earlier that it will stop importing oil from Iran despite its opposition to the US sanctions imposed by Trump after the unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear agreement
Turkey has announced earlier that it will stop importing oil from Iran despite its opposition to the US sanctions imposed by Trump after the unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear agreement

RODAO, Erbil - 

A Turkish official said on Wednesday evening that his country has stopped completely since the beginning of May to import Iranian oil in compliance with US sanctions even if it does not agree. 


"As a strategic ally" of the United States, "we respect the sanctions," the Turkish news agency Agence France-Presse quoted an unnamed official as saying. 

The United States has awarded eight countries - China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey - exemptions from the sanctions imposed on Iran for six months on May 2. 

The official explained that "Turkey has stopped as of 2 May on the import of Iranian oil."

Turkey has announced that it will stop importing oil from Iran despite its opposition to the US sanctions imposed by Trump after the unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear agreement concluded between the Islamic Republic and the major powers. 

Relations between the United States and Turkey deteriorated after Ankara announced that it would buy the S-400 missile defense system from Russia, the main opponent of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 

The United States responded by suspending Turkey's participation in the main F-35 fighter jet project. 

Commenting on the deal, the Turkish deputy foreign minister told reporters in Washington that "this is a deal," reiterating that his country will not back down from its decision to buy S-400 missiles.

The United States fears that the technology used in the S-400 system could be used to collect technical data on NATO military aircraft to which Turkey belongs, which could allow Russia to access such data. 

The Turkish government has proposed to the US administration to form a joint technical working group to resolve the concerns of the United States in this regard.

http://www.rudaw.net/arabic/business/23052019

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Thursday, 23 May 2019 03:36 PM

1

 

 

Oil Minister Thamir al-Ghadhban announced that a delegation from the US oil company ExxonMobil will arrive in the country soon to discuss the return of its employees to work in the West Qurna oil field in Basra.

"A delegation from ExxonMobil will arrive in Iraq to discuss the return of its employees to work, as well as the agreement on the integrated South Project," Ghadhban said in a press statement. 
He explained that "the employees of the Basra Oil Company are able to produce oil and gas from the West Qurna field, and there will be no negative impact of the withdrawal of staff ExxonMobil to continue projects in the oil field." 
The Minister of Oil that "the evacuation of workers in the company Exxon Mobil operating in the field of West Qurna is unacceptable or justified, and for political reasons related to tensions in the region, not for security reasons," noting that "the ministry sent a letter to the company asking them to return to work Immediately under the long-term contract between them and the Iraqi government. "
Thirty employees from US company ExxonMobil withdrew from an oilfield in Basra towards the company's offices in Dubai for reasons that the company said was "a precautionary security after the escalation of the dispute between Washington and Tehran."

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Iranian Navy: American aircraft carrier moved away from our coasts for fear of falling under the missiles

Political | 5:31 - 23/05/2019

 
image
 
 

BAGHDAD 
(Reuters) - Iran's aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln has pulled away from Iran's coast for an unprecedented distance, Iranian naval commander Rear Admiral Hussein Khanzadi said on Thursday, citing fears of Iranian missiles. 
"The enemy is demonstrating its strength by setting up its military equipment in the northern Indian Ocean from aircraft carriers and barges, but he did not dare enter the Gulf waters," he said. 
"When they leave the Gulf it will be because of their fear and concern that their ships will be targeted by Iranian missiles in the Gulf and the Sea of Oman, so they have fled beyond our borders," he said. 
He pointed out that "America does not have the courage to confront Iran," and said: "The US aircraft carrier stopped 700 kilometers from our borders, and this is unprecedented in history."
He stressed that "the presence of US warships on this distance far from the Iranian coasts reveals the inability of US forces to do anything towards his country in practice."

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US grants Iraq another Iran sanctions waiver for energy

         
US grants Iraq another Iran sanctions waiver for energy
Joey Hood, then the deputy chief of mission for the US Embassy in Iraq, speaks during the Third International Conference to Counter Daesh Propaganda and Ideology in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 13, 2017. Photo: Sgt. Von Marie Donato | US Army
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq has been granted yet another exemption from US sanctions on Iran, allowing it to continue importing Iranian energy, Joey Hood, chargé d’affaires of the US Mission in Iraq, confirmed Wednesday. 

However, Hood said the US is working with Iraq to help break its reliance on Iranian energy. 
 

“Iraq has an exemption from the American sanctions, so that it can continue to purchase energy from Iran, but we are also working with the Iraqi government and supporting them in every way that we can to increase the energy independence of this country,” Hood told reporters in Baghdad.

Hood's comments first appeared in the Iraqi media and were later confirmed by the US embassy in an email to Rudaw English.  


Iraq depends on Iranian energy to subsidize its ramshackle power grid. Riots broke out in Iraq’s southern city of Basra last summer when Iran briefly cut is electricity exports.

Washington reimposed sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, specifically targeting Tehran’s lucrative oil sector. 

Major importers of Iranian oil, including China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey, were initially granted waivers to allow them time to find alternatives. 

The US scrapped these waivers in April, but continued to renew Iraq’s special exemption. 

Tensions with Iran have since escalated further, with the US withdrawing all non-essential staff from its missions in Baghdad and Erbil and deploying an aircraft carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf, citing an unspecified Iranian threat. 

In a possible act of provocation, unknown actors fired a rocket into Baghdad’s Green Zone on Sunday, which fell less than a mile from the sprawling US embassy compound. 

Asked about the incident, Hood said: “No one as far as I know has claimed responsibility for that rocket.  So, I can’t really tell you what they were aiming at or what their goal was.”

Authorities believe the rocket was fired from the east of the city, where Iran-backed militias maintain a strong presence. 

Eager to characterize the rocket attack as an isolated incident, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi told reportersin his weekly press conference Tuesday night that Iraq wishes to mediate between Washington and Tehran. 

“We will send delegations within the coming days to the different capitals of the countries involved, especially Tehran and Washington, to attempt to push for de-escalation and reach agreements, because all sides say they don’t want war, rather to negotiate,” Abdul-Mahdi said. 

However, Hood said he was not aware of any Iraqi mediation, and declined Baghdad’s involvement. 

“We always welcome the opportunity to consult with our friends in the Iraqi government. The exchange of views especially in an environment of heightened tension is critical,” said Hood. 

“I’m not aware of an offer by the Iraqi government to mediate formally between Iran and the United States, and it’s something that we do not particularly need at this moment. 

“We know how to communicate with the Iranians and we hope that they can come to the negotiating table as soon as possible so that we can work out our differences diplomatically,” he added.

Tehran has ruled out negotiation with Washington until the economic pressure is lifted. 
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%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%85%D8%A9-696

https://www.almaalomah.com/2019/05/23/407965/

Wisdom demands sending a high-level Iraqi delegation to America and Iran

17:38 - 23/05/2019

 

Information / Baghdad ..

MP Ali Jassem al-Hamdawi on Thursday called for sending a high-ranking Iraqi delegation to the United States and Iran to bridge the crisis between the two countries, saying it was a new gain for the Iraqi government to calm things in the region.

"In light of the recent repercussions in the region and the tension caused by the current crisis between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, we call on the government to take responsibility and to work hard to contain the crisis by sending an Iraqi delegation to the two parties," al-Mehmawi said in a statement.

He added that "the delegation formed for this purpose must be high-level and consists of the government and parliament and includes the various political forces," noting the need to "invest Iraq's political, regional and international presence and take advantage of its economic weight and good relations with the two countries (America and Iran) In addition to the countries involved in this conflict by launching a peace mediation based on diplomatic dialogue and negotiation. "

"The mediation carries with it a series of solutions and friendly understandings to defuse the crisis and spare the region the scourge of war, aggression, bloody conflicts, humanitarian tragedies and negative repercussions on the security and stability of the country," he said.

He said that it would be "a new gain for the new Iraq as a center of peace and a starting point for calm and bringing the views of the parties and opponents closer together, as we refuse to drag the country into a party to the conflict and a clearing house." Ending 25 h

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