The US Treasury Department on Tuesday issued a statement directed at allied governments, and private companies operating out of allied countries, warning them against any trade with Iran, warning they “face substantial risks” if they are caught.
Undersecretary of the Treasury Sigal Mandelker says that the world must “harden your financial networks,” and make sure they have “airtight” procedures in place to prevent even accidental business ties to Iran. He added that nations must make sure “Iran and its proxies are not exploiting your companies to support their nefarious activities.”
Though presented as a warning about being tricked by Iran, the warning is likely primarily directed at EU nations, as the EU has already decided to prohibit its companies complying with US sanctions on Iran. The EU is planning to try to block the US from punishing those companies, but many of the major businesses are being very cautious about new deals with Iran, fearing the US will go after them anyhow.
US sanctions against Iran’s nuclear program are expected to ratchet up in the next several months, after President Trump withdrew the US from the nuclear deal. Yet the deal remains in place, and many nations may not be willing to follow the US in this crackdown so long as Iran remains compliant.
But it is absolutely fine to do deals with an nation accused of 9/11 in Saudi Arabia.
Iran out to exploit [the undersecretary means to rob, swindle, cheat] european companies???
According to Trump, european, canadian, and mexican companies have been robbing america of $300bn every day; oops, every year.
So, Iranians even greater masters in cheating. And not only cheating and robbing but also in also corruption?
Ok by me! Yes, yes, rich to get richer; just like in america, russia, canada, mexico, guatemala, grenada….
Sounds like terrorist threats on the part of the ghouls in DC against allied nations. What audacity! Prez. Trump really blew this one, and all for BiBi and our master state.
Well we shall soon find out if the EU has the backbone to really stand up to the U.S. me thinks not. And all they have said about staying in the deal and backing their companies against U.S. sanctions will prove to be empty rhetoric.
If they give in now there is nothing but further blackmail in the future, if the rest of us have one.
Nefarious activities? Case of pot calling kettle black.
This disgraceful, illegal, immoral persecution of countries (“allies”lol) who behave normally and deal with Iran, which has kept to all its requirements, while the USA has taken itself out of an international agreement, should not be allowed. Might is right, and morality is absent, when the big bully decides not only to leave, but to ruin any possible peaceful and decent interaction among all the real participants in the JCPOA.
There is something really wrong with the world when one (or perhaps two, if the Zionist entity counts as a nation)country is able to destroy huge parts of the world for no reason but spite and ignorance and greed.
AFAIK, the rhetoric from wash-tin has had the intended effect, euro businesses are pulling out. Some are openly stating that they cannot defy the U.S.
Why invest billions building up their presence in Iran when the U.S. is just going to invade and wreck the place. They’ll just wait a few months/decades (see Afghanistan) and straight up step right over the dead Iranians and take the resources for free yet again. This is euro logic at its finest, imo.