In trying to get the European Union to the table with a plan to save the
nuclear deal, Iran has been escalating their civilian program to try to
raise pressure on the EU to do so in a timely fashion. The latest “deadline” set by Iran is this Friday.
Iranian officials say, then, that they’re going to improve their centrifuge technology for enriching uranium,
and will also extend out the deadline another two months. This is being
presented as a “violation” by some, though as with previous moves by
Iran, it is only a violation in a very technical sense, and being done
purely for diplomatic leverage.
France has been trying to come up with plans on the deal, in particular
trying to sell the US on a plan to offer Iran a line of credit, though
indications are that the US is opposed to the idea.
It’s not clear what the other options are at this point, as US control
over banking has so far left the EU unable, or at least unwilling, to
ensure that trade with Iran continues to flow when the US doesn’t want
it to.
More irrelevancy. Everyone involved is just walking out the clock until the war starts.
Read the article here today entitled the following: “No trade mechanism until Iran passes terrorism financing laws – French diplomat”.
Note the part that says they won’t operate INSTEX until they know the US won’t sanction it. Hah! Good luck with that, France.
So much for France trying to salvage the deal. That ain’t gonna happen.