As the Obama Administration’s efforts to court international support for the “crippling” sanctions against Iran continue to flounder, diplomats now say that they are significantly softening a myriad of measures in an attempt to make the move more palatable.
The US is said to have dropped all attempts to ban the import of refined petroleum products into Iran, a move which would have done serious damage to Iran’s economy but which would’ve also damaged several international companies that do business with them.
Russia in particular seems like a decent bet to jump on board for additional sanctions, as officials reiterated today that they would support “reasonable” sanctions. They have yet to comment on the latest proposals publicly, however, so it is unclear if sanctions have been toned down enough.
Other nations may be more difficult however, as they oppose the sanctions on general principle. China in particular seems eager to see more efforts at a diplomatic solution, and has warned repeatedly that it believes sanctions will harm that possibility.
