The Obama Administration reportedly decided to withhold sanctions against Iran over ballistic missile testing on fears that it would damage their ability to negotiate a prisoner exchange. After the exchange happened yesterday, however, the US went ahead with the sanctions anyhow.
The move is likely to fuel new acrimony with Iran, and indeed with other P5+1 member nations, coming less than 24 hours after the US had removed the nuclear sanctions against Iran. Iranian officials have argued the new sanctions would violate the letter and spirit of the nuclear deal.
Indeed, that may be the case. The sanctions are based on UN Security Council resolutions forbidding Iran from developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, which suggests the resolutions to be part of the now resolved issue of Iran’s nuclear program. Iran has also argued that the missiles in question aren’t capable of delivering a nuclear warhead at any rate, meaning they aren’t covered by the resolutions.
The other P5+1 nations all seem to agree, and it was only the US that complained at all about the tests, let alone going so far as to impose new sanctions against Iran within a day of lifting the sanctions against them.
The new sanctions aren’t as broad as the originals, of course, but will still serve as a slap in the face after Iran made the P5+1 deal and then went the extra mile to implement every portion of it months ahead of schedule.
That’s likely to be a costly decision for the US, as Iran is planning to use much of its newly unfrozen wealth to modernize its economy, and some major international corporations could be in for some big contracts in that regard. New US sanctions are likely to push the US companies to the back of the line in competing for such deals.
Aug 12, 2015 36 Retired U.S. Generals and Admirals Announce Support of Iran Deal
Deal is ‘most effective means currently available to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,’ high-ranking officers say in letter, adding that military action only possible after diplomatic path exhausted.
http://www.haaretz.com/world-news/1.670756
This is the usual brand of neo-con stupidity. Instead of taking the opportunity to establish military to military relations, defusing regional tensions, and from there keeping a closer eye on Iran’s missile capabilities; they are choosing to take a course of action which they know will result in a net acceleration of Iran’s missile programs. Perhaps this is by design. They might be betting on war with Iran come the next U.S. administration.
Oh the shining light on the hill that is the USA.
That “shining light” is simply methane combusting as it seeps from the great steaming manure pile that is the Dsyfunctional States of Uh’murica…
January 16th, 2016 Western-imposed sanctions against Tehran to be lifted Saturday – Iranian FM
International sanctions against Iran are due to be lifted Saturday, according to Tehran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. The move will take effect when the International Atomic Energy Agency has issued its final report concerning Iran’s nuclear program.
https://www.rt.com/news/329164-iran-sanctions-lifted-zarif/
The Uh’Muricans are such complete c*nts… What a spiteful, mean-spirited, puerile, childish antic… Iran compromises greatly and gives the US Terrorist State most of what it is looking for, and releases criminals as a sign of good intentions, so Mordor on the Potomac does this….
Obama is truly nothing but a white-mans n*gger…
Can I modify your rant….”SOME Uh’Muricans are such complete c*nts”. The rest of us are trapped in a political system ruled by psychopaths and lied to by a media that parrots the psychos. It’s Orwellian, to be sure.
130 new Airbuses with not one Boeing Aircraft! I hope that the Russians sell them plenty of fighter aircraft as well What we are seeing is the USUAL American duplicity, a country who at law didn’t have to do what it did, does it to appease the United States then when it complies additional matters are added!
Sad to say but, I’m not surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised.
Harming American business and national interests in the service of Israel.
The Power and the Glory, the rule of the Satanic Zionists continue..
Only the Land of Zion can have the nuclear deterrent (blackmail, see Samson option) or any deterrent so that they can intimidate all their neighbors.
How the USA can in any way pretend to be a “world leader” is incomprehensible to any sentient being.
Just goes to show you how back stabbing and untrustworthy we really are. Airbus just wrote a big order for jets and the European Union, Chinese and Russians are all lining up for business contracts. We are as stupid as a can of paint.
Iran tested a ballistic missile for a conventional warhead since they obviously do not have and now certainly cannot get a nuclear payload. They now are facing a crazy Saudi nut case sitting on the throne on the other side of the Persian Gulf, hell bent on all types of warfare: military, economic and covert.
When did the nuclear deal say anywhere that Iran cannot deter or defend itself from aggression from their arch enemy Saudi Arabia?