EU firms in Iran caught between US and Europe
European businesses that pull out of Iran because of US sanctions may end up being sued by EU states.
sanctions
Once-eased US economic sanctions against Iran back in effect
The first set of U.S. sanctions against Iran that had been eased under the landmark nuclear accord went back into effect early Tuesday under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, targeting financial transactions that involve U.S. dollars, Iran’s automotive sector, the purchase of commercial planes and metals including gold.
U.S. Issues New Warning to Europe: End Business With Iran or Face Harsh Sanctions
Congress and the Trump administration are issuing a stern warning to European partners: End all business ties with the Iranian regime or face harsh new sanctions in the coming months, a move that could impact international financial markets and U.S. banks tied to foreign monetary institutions, according to multiple senior U.S. officials who spoke to the Washington Free Beacon about diplomatic efforts to pressure Europe on Iran.
Turkey Vows to Retaliate After US Sanctions Two Ministers Over Brunson Case
Turkey’s Islamist government vowed late Wednesday to respond to the imposition of U.S. sanctions against two of its government ministers over the treatment of an American pastor, and one of the targeted ministers shrugged off the move, saying he had no financial interests in the United States.
Turkish court rejects U.S. pastor’s appeal
A Turkish court rejected an appeal on Tuesday for an American pastor to be released from house arrest during his trial on terrorism charges, his lawyer said, in a case that has raised the threat of U.S. sanctions against Ankara.
Turkey’s Erdogan defiant in face of US sanctions threat over pastor
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan struck a defiant tone on Sunday in response to US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose sanctions on Turkey if it didn’t release American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been held in Turkish detention for the past two years.
Iran’s rial hits record-low of 100,000 to the dollar
Iran’s currency hit a record low on Sunday of 100,000 rials to the dollar amid a deepening economic crisis and the imminent return of full US sanctions.
Trump threatens sanctions on Turkey for detainment of U.S. pastor
President Donald Trump threatened to impose economic sanctions on Turkey on Thursday for detaining an American pastor facing terrorism charges.
Trump administration sets sights on Libya’s oil reserves in behind-the-scenes power play
Iran’s loss may be Libya’s gain. The prospect that U.S. sanctions will drastically curb Tehran’s oil exports is feeding interest in Libya’s oil reserves and has even sparked movement toward economic and political reform in one of the region’s most unstable states.
Turkey vows to keep buying Iranian oil: ‘We will not obey’
Turkey plans to keep purchasing Iranian oil in defiance of American sanctions on the rogue regime, according to the NATO ally’s top diplomat.
No deal: EU resists Trump’s zero-tariff trade offer, prepares new list of sanctions to add pressure
President Trump offered European nations and other countries a zero-tariff deal as a way out of an escalating trade war, but so far he has no takers despite a zero-tariff agreement signed last week between the European Union and Japan.
U.S. rejects E.U. requests for exemptions from Iran sanctions
The United States rejected appeals from the European Union to give exemptions to EU countries that would be affected by sanctions on Iran.
U.S. Seeks to Thwart Iran Flying Millions in Cash Out of Germany
Top Trump administration officials are working to stop Germany from allowing Iran to fly more than $350 million in cash out of the country and back to Tehran as part of a bid by the Iranian regime to restock its coffers ahead of a major financial crackdown by America, according to conversations with senior U.S. diplomats and officials on Capitol Hill.
US to strictly enforce secondary sanctions on Iran, Trump says
The White House will strictly enforce the upcoming secondary sanctions on companies that do business with Iran, President Trump reaffirmed on Sunday.
EU leaders agree to extend economic sanctions on Russia
European Union leaders agreed on Friday to extend their economic sanctions against Russia for annexing Crimea from Kiev and backing rebels fighting government troops in east Ukraine, an EU official said.
Palestinian Authority rejects Israeli, U.S. ideas to help Gaza
The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday expressed fear that the talk about easing restrictions on the Gaza Strip was part of an Israeli-Palestinian ‘conspiracy’ to transform the Palestinian cause into a ‘humanitarian issue.’
Iran reopens uranium plant after 9 years to step up enrichment
Iran on Wednesday reopened a nuclear enrichment plant that has been inactive since 2009, as Tehran geared up to bolster its enrichment activities should the 2015 nuclear deal collapse.
Trump’s Iran strategy targets oil, presses allies to end oil imports by Nov. 4
Following through on President Trump’s promise to squeeze Iran as he took the U.S. out of the 2015 nuclear deal, the Trump administration on Tuesday announced details on new sanctions that will pressure countries from Europe to Asia to slash imports of Iranian oil to zero by Nov. 4, giving allies no wiggle room to deal with Tehran.
Pompeo clears the air: No sanctions relief for North Korea until ‘complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization’
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a press conference with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts Thursday morning in Singapore to elaborate on the post Trump-Kim summit strategy for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.
Report: Secret Obama-Era License Gave Iran Access to US Financial System
The Obama administration secretly sought to give Iran access – albeit briefly – to the U.S. financial system by sidestepping sanctions kept in place after the 2015 nuclear deal, despite repeatedly telling Congress and the public it had no plans to do so.