I joined Australia’s The World on Thursday to analyze the latest developments over Iran, from a resumption of the Vienna nuclear talks to the boarding of a Vietnam-flagged oil tanker by Revolutionary Guards.
I chat with Beverley O’Connor about Tehran’s calculations as it maneuvers between the US, Europe, and China and Russia amid ongoing economic problems. Then we evaluate Iran’s claim that it was prevented American forces in the Gulf of Oman from seizing Iranian oil shipments.
The hardline Raisi Government has been setting a precondition that the Americans lift some sanctions before Iran makes a move. There’s no way the US accepts that, no way the other powers in the deal accept that.
So do the Iranians pick up where the talks left off in June or do they try to wind the clock back?
See also UPDATES: Iran Nuclear Talks Might Resume on November 29
And on the mystery over the tanker:
Whether or not the Americans tried to block an oil shipment or whether the Iranians detained a tanker, it shows that Iranian oil supplies are constricted — because that tanker is not going anywhere while it is held by the Revolutionary Guards.
Pentagon: Seizing Oil Tanker, Iran Lies About Showdown with US Warships
[Deleted by moderator for disinformation and unsupported claims.]
Varharan,
So you pulled up a 2013 article from the World Socialist Website not only to push unsupported smears of MSF but also to push disinfo on Syria chemical attacks?
No thanks.
S.
“Yes, in the context of COVID-19, countries called for US to ensure medical supplies reached Iran (while Supreme Leader’s edict blocked supplies and later vaccines from the West).”
The Leader never blocked medical supplies like ventilators, drugs, materials to make vaccines, masks, decontamination and monitoring equipment – that Iran could purchase with the unfreezing of its assets and lifting of banking restrictions. The ICJ ruling calls on the US to lift ALL sanctions affecting the humanitarian situation in Iran – which includes shortages of certain foodstuffs and medicine.
China, again, has called on the US to make the first moves on complying with the deal: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3155189/us-must-make-first-move-iran-nuclear-deal-china-says
“The US, which unilaterally withdrew from the [agreement], should take steps to rectify its policies first,” a foreign ministry statement quoted Wang as saying. “And Iran may resume fulfilling its nuclear commitments on that basis.”
Under paragraphs 26 and 36 of the JCPOA, Iran is entitled to reduce its technical commitments in part or in whole if the US unilaterally reimposes sanctions. Iran is still, legally, in full compliance with the original terms of the agreement.
In 2020, The Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guards turned away supplies from the West, even expelling Medecins Sans Frontieres when it set up a mobile hospital and returning all the medical assistance.
https://eaworldview.com/2020/03/iran-coronavirus-regime-expulsion-medecins-sans-frontieres/
Yes, that’s a very polite statement from China. It says nothing specific about the measures to be taken regarding sanctions.
MSF did not have a proper permit to set up its own field hospital in the country. Iran has been happy to receive help from the WHO: http://www.emro.who.int/iran/news/who-delivers-new-shipment-of-medical-supplies-for-covid-19-response-in-islamic-republic-of-irann.html?format=html
Same for the UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/press/2020/3/5e7908a04/unhcrs-airlift-vital-medical-aid-lands-iran.html
Iran has also used INSTEX to purchase medical supplies from the start of the outbreak: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/3/31/iran-receives-european-medical-gear-amid-coronavirus-crisis
Varharan,
Right — MSF, one of the most experienced NGOs in medical and humanitarian affairs, brought in a mobile hospital and millions of dollars supplies “without a proper permit”.
You need to do better than repeating the lines of the Revolutionary Guards after the expulsion.
S.
“The hardline Raisi Government has been setting a precondition that the Americans lift some sanctions before Iran makes a move. There’s no way the US accepts that, no way the other powers in the deal accept that.”
Nonsense. The US can unfreeze some assets and lift all humanitarian sanctions -as the Russians and Chinese have been calling for also. The US is the guilty party in all this – it has to accept responsibility for its own actions and be the first to make up for them.
“Whether or not the Americans tried to block an oil shipment or whether the Iranians detained a tanker, it shows that Iranian oil supplies are constricted — because that tanker is not going anywhere while it is held by the Revolutionary Guards.”
It shows that the US has become increasingly desperate to hinder Iran’s oil exports which have been recovering despite sanctions.
Actually, neither the Chinese nor the Russians have been calling for unilateral lifting of sanctions — they, like the rest of the 4+1 Powers, have been calling for a linked approach between US re-entry, lifting of sanctions, and a return to American compliance.
And, no, there has not been a significant increase in Iranian oil exports — which are now almost wholly dependent on the Chinese market — in recent months.
Wrong. Both Russia and China urged the US to lift humanitarian sanctions on Iran during the Covid pandemic: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/16/c_138884084.htm
The International Court of Justice also demanded the US lift certain sanctions: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/03/international-court-of-justice-orders-us-to-lift-new-iran-sanctions
And according to Saudi network Iran International, the IMF has apparently stated that Iran’s financial reserves are rising due to increased oil exports: https://www.iranintl.com/en/20211103369526
Varharan,
Yes, in the context of COVID-19, countries called for US to ensure medical supplies reached Iran (while Supreme Leader’s edict blocked supplies and later vaccines from the West).
But you were referring to unilateral lifting of sanctions in Vienna talks. Neither Russia nor China has called for that.
S.
And some news of plight of lives of iranians under mullah regime
https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-covid-ilam-province-pilgrimage/31544312.html