While European parties to the P5+1 nuclear deal are looking to protect their companies from US sanctions, some of those companies are already expecting failure. Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser announced on Sunday that his company will not reach any new business deals with Iran.
Siemens is a major German company with multiple Iran infrastructure deals. Even though Germany says there are no obstacles to staying in the deal, Kaeser says he fears “targeted retaliation” from the United States if he keeps working with Iran.
This is exactly what the Trump Administration wants. US officials have threatened to sanction European companies that keep doing business with Iran, even though those nations are obliged to do so under the nuclear deal they are still a part of.
Clearly, US officials hope the threats will be enough. Germany, France, and Britain are going to have to do more to convince companies they are safe from the US, and had better do so quickly if they want to salvage the deal.
Iran has made clear that their remaining in the nuclear deal is contingent on the sanctions relief continuing. Siemens’ move does not bode well for that, though likely the Iranians will give the EU more time to effect an effort to block US threats.
Goes to show who you can trust.
What cowardice. If others do this we are all doomed.
Even in Europe rich people rule their govts a lot more than ‘lower’ classes.
Trump saw that?
Will now Iran cave in and renegotiate for a “better” or more just Plan of Action?
Not likely!!!!! But, nevertheless, Trump still scared to bomb, let alone invade Iran.
“Even in Europe rich people rule their govts a lot more than ‘lower’ classes.”
Yes, that is the nature of the state, although it is more a loop (rich people rule because rulers get rich because rich people rule because …) than just a binary distinction. The state is war (in particular, looting) on the productive class by the political class.
It’s the nature of the worst people among us and not, imo, “the nature of the state”.
For, as i have already said dozens of times, a democracy becomes a dictatorship of the three top classes [clergy, elite, plutocrats] the moment it is set up; else, you’d not ever get it.
What they say and what they do are always negotiable. Siemens has business on both sides. At this point in time corruption rules.
This is what our NSA is for. Only a few individuals are a sufficient pressure point.
Noit shocking. US and EU have a much better underseanding in global politics then they let it show. Britain makes a ridiculous accusation of Russia using quantities of poison to oblterate a city, but nobody dies. Victims were put in an induced coma, woke up, talked, walked, ate on their own — then disappeared. Europe and US impose sanctions on Russia and expel diplomats. Nice Europe. Then they jointly fire over 100 missiles on Syria, because their video production outfit White Helmets faked a chemical attack. Nice Europe. Germany got out of the last election withha crop of neocon German cousins in leadership pisitions. Now, their only enemy is Russia. While Europe is playacting on Iran and Palestinians, US does what neocons want. But there is no diplomatic action. No diplomats expelled, no ambassadors withdrawn from either Israel or US. Only Turkey and Sauth Africa did that. So, it s back to Kissinger plan. US gets nasty militarily and hurts anyone that stands in the way of Israeli shaped Middle East. Nuce Europe walks in as a mediator, mentor, advisor. Back to West controlled and dominated Middle East. We will soon find out just how much clout they have in real world.
As for Yemen, who cares. Saudi Arabia crippled Turkish vessel by a torpedo. The vessel was bringing 60,000 tons of Russian wheat to a smaler Yemeni port that is still safe. Europe? Crickets, crickets. Instead of trading with the world, Europe is clinging to its past imperial dreams, and US is the ticket. Unfortunately they did not listen carefully to Putin’s March 1 speech. He did suggest they listen — as be knew they would not.