The European Union is trying to have it both ways on U.S. sanctions
against Iran. It voices solidarity with the Trump administration’s
concerns about the Islamic Republic’s rising threat to stability in the
Middle East — most recently by expressing alarm at Iran’s
ballistic-missile program and other “unacceptable behavior.” At the same
time, EU leaders condone efforts by their member countries to skirt
U.S. restrictions — as if to reassure the Iranian regime that trade can
continue despite the U.S. decision to pull out of the 2015 nuclear
deal.
Now, Germany, France and the U.K. have gone so far as to create a special purpose vehicle for trade with Iran that’s clearly designed to get around U.S. sanctions.
This strategy is doomed to fail. The Trump administration won’t be fooled by it — or to any extent mollified by European finger-wagging at the regime in Tehran.
It doesn’t even stand much chance of preventing Iran’s leaders from treating Europe with contempt. Just days after the EU’s missile warnings, Iran showed off an underground missile factory, and claimed to possess a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-02-22/europe-coddles-iran-with-special-purpose-vehicle
Now, Germany, France and the U.K. have gone so far as to create a special purpose vehicle for trade with Iran that’s clearly designed to get around U.S. sanctions.
This strategy is doomed to fail. The Trump administration won’t be fooled by it — or to any extent mollified by European finger-wagging at the regime in Tehran.
It doesn’t even stand much chance of preventing Iran’s leaders from treating Europe with contempt. Just days after the EU’s missile warnings, Iran showed off an underground missile factory, and claimed to possess a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-02-22/europe-coddles-iran-with-special-purpose-vehicle
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