The Iranian flag flutters in front the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna, Austria. (REUTERS/Lisi Niesner)
Washington Post: Trump administration will again waive nuclear sanctions on Iran
After an internal policy battle, the Trump administration is set to announce later this week that it will once again waive five different nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, preserving a key part of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal. The decision will upset Iran hawks in Washington and be welcomed by Russia, China, European allies and the Iranian leadership. The issue is emblematic of the tension inside the administration over the implementation of President Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy.
In an Oval Office meeting last week, Trump sided with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who argued that the administration should again renew sanctions waivers related to five separate parts of Iran’s nuclear program. Mnuchin prevailed over the objections of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton, according to six administration officials. Pompeo, who is the lead official on the issue, will nevertheless support Trump’s decision when it is announced later this week.
Mnuchin, these six officials said, argued to Trump that if the sanctions were not again waived as required by law by Aug. 1, the United States would have to sanction Russian, Chinese and European firms that are involved in projects inside Iran that were established as part of the 2015 nuclear deal. The Treasury Department asked for more time to navigate the collateral effects of these sanctions.
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More News On The U.S. Will Once Again Waive Five Different Nuclear-Related Sanctions On Iran
U.S. to renew sanctions waivers for five Iran nuclear programs: Washington Post -- Reuters
Trump to hold off on tightening limits on Iran's nuclear work -- NBC
US expected to extend waivers for co -- CNN
Trump to disappoint Iran hawks with more nuclear waivers -- Politico
Looks like the tiger will be eating soup since it lost its teeth.
ReplyDelete2 steps forward, 5 steps back. It’s a bit of a sham really
ReplyDeleteThreading a needle here. Bolton will have to wait (& I like Bolton a lot). The sanctions in place still hurt. Hezbollah has had layoffs for example. The terrible German leader will be gone. Her grip keeps slipping. Her demise will be as slow as Mays in part, because no one could foresee a replacement. The German leader has to go; the police blotter demands it. Germany groans under the leader's sclerotic weight.
ReplyDelete5 steps forward, 2 steps back. No sham. Iran is hurting. Thus the histrionics of grown alpha men leaders. Proof is in the pudding. Hezbollah, which gets their weekly allowance from Iran, cut payroll.
ReplyDeleteMay is gone. Macron would be gone, but he has a 6 year term. Merkel has a figurative one-handed death grip on the cliff's edge. Fat cow is gone by election day, give or take 6 months.
I have no idea what the Russians will do post-Putin on Iran. To be sure they will support Iran. I do not know by how much. In the aughts, Putin backed Iraq and Libya and could do very little. The Russians did give the Iraqis radar/GPS jammers and moved their WMDs to Syria. Other than that they were & felt helpless. They won't forget.
Dominoes are not falling. Venezuela should be almost out, but the illegal gold mining trade is keeping them in the game, which was unexpected. That their gold reserves would run out was expected. That the illegal trade would keep them afloat was not. Still the have to be bleeding red ink and go at some time. Iran cannot float Hezbollah and Venezuela.
Cuba lost its 2nd sugar daddy (Venezuela).
ReplyDeletePatience. Patience required here.
Personally I have been leery of Bolton for years. Too too.
I'm pleased with the president's choosing to give current sanctions and other pressures time to evolve.
So Trump recognizes when its time to stand pat in his poker game?
ReplyDeleteStatus quo continues, Today Iran just devalued its currency by dividing all currency in circulation by 100. Iran's oi is radioactive on the open markets. Iran has driven a wedge between the US and its major European allies. Iran's backing of Yemen's Houthi's continues as well as its buildup against Israel with weapons stock piles in Iraq and Syria.
Did Iran has driven a wedge between the US and its major European allies?
ReplyDeleteOr was the wedge always going to be there given the fecklessness of the liberal European leaders?
MI6 and Italian Intelligence cooperated with Obama, Brennan, & Comey to spy on president Trump. After that you expect Trump to respect May. May BTW was a weak leader who is gone.
Macron, an empty suit, is a repackaged socialist. He split off from the socialists and declared that he was new and improved. Given machine politics, his lies and his youth and good hair, he was elected. He would not be there if election were called in the past 18 months. Macron has not fixed France. Unemployment is still double digits, Paris is still a shit hole ( I know. I've been there literally dodging shit.), and social unrest is huge.
Look at all the pictures of Merkel and Obama staring at each other with adoring eyes. They are two simpatico leaders. Trump was going to get along with that wreck of a German leader? How is Merkel any good? Energy policy? Immigration policy? Defense policy? Next time anyone invades Germany Ma Merkel will be handing out broomsticks to the soldiers.
Houthi have some higher tech toys, but they are not regaining ground. If the UN would stop feeding them the war would have been over 3 years ago. Thank you UN. Thanks a lot. Thanks for nothing.
ReplyDelete