Friday, March 29, 2019

Eye on Iran: US Mideast Strategy Includes Expelling Iran From Syria, Pompeo Says



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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that part of Washington's overall strategy in the Middle East is aimed at expelling Iran and its forces and militias from Syria. "Our strategy is designed to prevent that from happening," Pompeo said during his testimony at a congressional hearing on the State Department's budget review on Wednesday in which several congressmen spoke on their concerns about the US troop withdrawal from Syria and the possibility of Iranian influence strengthening there.


The United States is keen to see that Malaysia, Singapore and others are fully aware of illicit Iranian oil shipments and the tactics Iran uses to evade sanctions, a top U.S. sanctions official said on Friday. Sigal Mandelker, under-secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, told reporters in Singapore the United States had placed additional "intense pressure" on Iran this week.
  

The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Thursday naming terrorist financing a serious crime and demanding that all countries set up a domestic legal framework to counter the practice. The U.N.'s counterterrorism chief Vladimir Voronkov said the resolution came at a critical time, as terrorist attacks around the globe have demonstrated that groups like Islamic State and al Qaeda have continuing access to vast financial revenues.

NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM


In her March 5, 2019, statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on the subject of monitoring and inspection in Iran, U.S. Ambassador Jackie Wolcott stated that "[t]he United States welcomes the Director General's February 22 report on verification and monitoring in Iran. We once again extend our appreciation to the Director General, and . . . [his] staff for their continued dedication in carrying out their responsibilities in Iran..."


The proponents of Iran's nuclear deal are criticizing the new sanctions imposed on Iran's nuclear program by the US last week. The Treasury and State Department unveiled measures against 14 individuals and 17 entities that are linked to the Iranian Ministry of Defense. These entities are reportedly associated with Iran's attempts to build nuclear weapons.


Nearly half of Middle Eastern survey respondents say they are skeptical that Iran has stopped working to achieve nuclear weapons, according to a poll taken by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reported by the Hebrew daily Israel Hayom. The latest survey conducted by professional pollsters on behalf of the ministry found that 43% of Middle Easterners say Iran did not stop its nuclear program. The number of North American respondents who believe similarly is also high at one-third or 33%.

SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS  


A court in Luxembourg has ruled against a group of Sept. 11 victims in a novel lawsuit seeking $1.6 billion in Iranian assets, bringing to a head a long growing disagreement about a significant question of international law: Should governments be immune from lawsuits even when they are accused of responsibility for terrorist attacks? For decades after World War II, as the modern international order was established, the United States stood in alignment with the world by restrictively interpreting "sovereign immunity," the principle that people generally cannot sue governments. 


The United States placed additional "intense pressure" on Iran this week, a top U.S. sanctions official said Friday. Sigal Mandelker, under-secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, told reporters in Singapore she would stress the inherent risks in dealing with Iran in meetings over coming days with government officials in Malaysia, Singapore and India.


Japanese refineries have put a halt on imports of Iranian oil after buying 15.3 million barrels between January and March ahead of the expiry of a temporary waiver on U.S. sanctions, according to industry sources and data on Refinitiv Eikon. The waiver, which allowed Japan to buy some Iranian oil for another 180 days, expires in early May. However, Japanese refiners want to ensure enough time for all cargoes already loaded to arrive in Japan and for payments to be completed. 


A top U.S. sanctions official is in Asia to push efforts to increase pressure on Iran, saying Washington was intent on making Tehran "radioactive to the international community." Sigal Mandelker, the U.S. Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in Singapore on March 29 that she would stress in further meetings this week with officials in Malaysia, Singapore, and India the risks involved in dealing with Tehran.


Iran's trade generally declined in the first two months of 2019, largely due to less oil exports and a substantial reduction in imports, due to its ongoing economic crisis. Iran's exports to U.S. reached zero during January 2019, while its imports from the United States plunged to $4.5 million, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, released March 28. The monthly trade turnover between the two countries stood at the lowest level since 2000.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi has downplayed US warnings on a possible stop of waivers from sanctions on Iran's oil imports. Washington "will not achieve all its objectives," Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA on Thursday. "The policy of the United States is that we are not looking to grant any new oil waivers," Brian Hook, the US special representative for Iran, said this week.
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS


Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that the death toll from flash floods across the country has risen to 44 from 17. The Thursday report quotes Hamidreza Khankeh, an official in the country's emergency medical services agency, as saying 44 people have died since Monday in 10 provinces. Since March 19, many roads in Iran have been affected by heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding.

IRANIAN REGIONAL AGGRESSION


Saudi Arabia relies on the principle of preserving sovereignty and stability of States in dealing with Arab issues, while Iran incites regional crises in order to break the unity of Arab states, stressed Saudi Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative at the Arab League Osama bin Ahmed Naqli. The Ambassador indicated that this also applies to the Kingdom's endeavor to get an independent Palestinian state established on the 1967 border with East al-Quds as its capital, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab peace initiative.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN


US President Donald Trump's March 21 decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights has sparked widespread international reaction. While European countries announced that they would not follow suit, Russia expressed concern over the "negative repercussions" of the move. Turkey adopted a more active stance, calling for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Trump's announcement was also met with negative reactions from Arab allies of the United States.


As the dust settles after the last week of escalation between Israel and Gaza, neither Hamas nor Netanyahu have managed to score a substantial victory or breakthrough. 






Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Eye on Iran is not intended as a comprehensive media clips summary but rather a selection of media elements with discreet analysis in a PDA friendly format. For more information please email press@uani.com.

United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition that is united in a commitment to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to become a regional super-power possessing nuclear weapons.  UANI is an issue-based coalition in which each coalition member will have its own interests as well as the collective goal of advancing an Iran free of nuclear weapons.

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