Effect of the lifting of sanctions on Iran — EXPERT VIEW

“That reality is, if the USA decides to terminate its obligations under the nuclear accord – absent indications of Iranian non-compliance – it will be left on a lonely island of self-exile, as its European, Russian, and Chinese partners forge ahead in the U.S.’s absence”.

Despite Iran’s seizure of 10 American sailors in the Gulf a few days earlier, it appears that the deal’s happy ending has come to fruition. And just to make sure we got the point, the supreme leader reiterated that Iranian policy – aggressively interventionist and immutably anti-American – continues unchanged. The country released propaganda videos showing the Americans kneeling and apologizing for wrongdoing.

Last weekend, however, we welcomed even more encouraging developments. Included in this scaleback is the shipping out of 25,000 pounds of enriched uranium and the dismantling of elements of its nuclear program. It has been filled with concrete instead. That will change when they will see major worldwide companies rushing to establish offices in Tehran and the global sanctions definitely lifted. “It’s something we’ve all known from the beginning. And we are going to remain vigilant about it”. Four of the five were flown immediately to a US medical facility in Germany for checkups and tests before heading home.

“We have deals that are being worked out with Airbus — all sorts of companies from nuclear technology companies, to irrigation, green energy… a whole range of them”, he said, without elaborating.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he has spoken to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif about the three Americans that were abducted in Iraq last week. Republican candidates for president would be attacking President Obama for having failed to prevent Iran’s acquiring a bomb. This exchange is sensible and pragmatic. The United States removed in excess of 400 individuals and entities from the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), including the Central Bank of Iran.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for long-term predictable funding to monitor Iran’s agreement with the international community to never seek, develop or acquire nuclear weapons. The relief will only be maintained if Iran continues to hold up its end of the bargain. The nuclear opening will temper Iranian adventurism and empower Iranian moderates.

The legislation focuses on Iran’s ballistic missile program and would “hold Iran accountable for its support for terrorism”, Ayotte added. The JCPOA provides for an automatic “snapback” mechanism for United Nations sanctions should Iran be determined to have violated the terms of the agreement, and US sanctions may be reimposed in such an event. Lawyers say this stems in part from a discrepancy in the way the lifting of sanctions has been implemented. The stakes are very high.

Iran’s President, Hassan Rouhani has been doing its best to be close to US President Obama but its ordeal is not over.

At first glance, the allure is obvious – the second-largest economy in the Middle East-North Africa region after Saudi Arabia; the second most populous country after Egypt; and with lots of infrastructure and vehicles way overdue for an upgrade after years of sanctions.

We now know that all these actions by Iran were given a pass so as not to jeopardise release of the hostages. But, in fact, pragmatic and forward thinking American foreign policy must look beyond the rhetoric of the current regime. They are well educated.

US- Iran relations that have been more than a little troubled for decades now, following the Islamic Revolution of 1979, are finally thawing.

“We believe these sanctions are uncalled for”.