On August 21st, Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton said that the EU must choose between the US and Iran in observing sanctions, which according to him are more effective than expected.
“We expect that Europeans will see, as businesses all over Europe are seeing, that the choice between doing business with Iran or doing business with the United States is very clear to them,” he said.
Reuters cited Bolton while in Israel who said that Trump “wants maximum pressure on Iran, maximum pressure, and that is what is going on.”
Despite the supposed strong effect the US sanctions are having on Iran, Bolton said that Washington is not seeking a regime change. What Washington requires is a massive change in the Iranian government’s behavior. “Regime change in Iran is not American policy but what we want is massive change in the regime’s behaviour,” he said while on his visit to Jerusalem, while also warning that Tehran’s activity in the region remains threatening.
He further commented that despite the effect of the sanctions surpassing expectations, “Iranian activity in the region has continued to be belligerent: what they are doing in Iraq, what they are doing in Syria, what they are doing with Hezbollah in Lebanon, what they are doing in Yemen, what they have threatened to do in the Strait of Hormuz.”
As reported by PressTV, Iranian officials and ordinary citizens say the sanctions are aimed at crippling the country. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said the measures have made Washington more isolated than ever, even among its allies. The Iranian economy has been in a sort of crisis, with high unemployment and inflation and the Iranian rial which has lost about half of its value since April. The sanctions imposed on August 6th made matters worse, however the batch that is to come in November targets the Iranian energy and oil export sector are certain to be a serious strike on the Iranian economy.
The sanctions on Iran were reimposed after on August 8th US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Iranian Nuclear Deal.
The other parties under the Deal and in particular the EU countries in it vowed to counteract the US sanctions and assist Iran. As a response to the August 6th reimposing of the sanctions on Iran, the EU enforced the so-called Blocking Statute. Its aim is to protect EU companies operating in Iran from the effect of US sanctions. However, European companies like Total, Maersk and others quit Iran for fear of US sanctions. These firms are dependent on the US-dominated international banking system and international financial markets.
To counteract that RT cited German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who wrote in the Handelsblatt business daily. “It is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system,” he said. According to Germany the European Union should set up a system that would allow Brussels to be independent in its financial operations from Washington. Europe must “form a counterweight when the US crosses red lines,” the German foreign minister said.
As reported by the RT, SWIFT is a network that enables financial institutions worldwide to send and receive information about financial transactions based in Belgium. The system’s management claims SWIFT remains politically neutral and independent. RT also cited reports that claim the US has enough power to block transactions through SWIFT.
RT cited that Danish newspaper Berlingske which in 2012 wrote that US authorities managed to seize money being transferred from a Danish businessman to a German bank for a batch of US-sanctioned Cuban cigars. The transaction was made in US dollars, which allowed Washington to block it.
“Given the circumstances, it is of strategic importance that we tell Washington clearly: we want to work together. But we will not allow you to hurt our interests without consulting us,” Maas further commented.
Press TV reported that French oil and gas major Total confirmed on Monday that it had notified Iranian authorities of its withdrawal from the multi-billion dollar South Pars gas project after failing to obtain a waiver from US sanctions. Despite EU companies leaving the Iranian market in fear of sanctions, Chinese state-owned company CNPC will take the leading seat in the project.
On August 20th, PressTV reported that Chinese buyers of Iranian oil began shifting their cargoes to vessels owned by National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) in order to assist in battling the US sanctions. However, Iran may have problems with repatriation of its money, because the second round of US sanctions will affect the SWIFT global payment system.
The call for an independent payment system comes after on August 20th, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said that “the United States is trying, in a massive psychological warfare and all-out attempt, to create restrictions on Iran’s economic cooperation by sending delegations and forming such groups and contacts with countries.” Qassemi also urged Europe to accelerate its efforts to salvage the agreement.
one should have asked that Bolton guy, how Iranian activities in the mentioned countries differ from the US activities in these countries. Knowing Bolton he would not even have an answer as he is blindsided regarding US wrongdoing.
Bolton is too polite. Let me as an true American call a spade for a spade. Do you globo-homoes in Europe wants dollares or do you want to be farted up in your faces…………LOL.
Thanks for letting us know that you’re laughing out loud at your own joke. No one else is.
Sadly though Tommy is saying it as it is.EU politicians are mainly ‘Rent Boys and Prostitutes’ of their Zionist abusers. :)
Only a moron displays his stupidity in public…and even laughs about it.
Ah the life of a troll must be lonely these days, as countries look for better countries to make agreements with, rather then one who never keeps an agreement…
Oh Tommy, posing as a self-proclaimed ‘true American’. That is a bunch of hogwash dude. Considering that sacrifices in many different forms made by many low key Americans, this is a seriously dishonorable display there kiddo. I am starting to think you are not even for real in your comments.
I am perceiving you as just somebody with extra time, jerking peoples chains. Besides, what the heck are “globe-homoes” anyway. This is all making me laugh at your comments now. They are like stereotype Hollywood ‘C’ rated film lines. I now understand the LOL at the end of you comment. You are not serious whatsoever and should be taken by all, as someone clowning around. Continue the show. :P
what is an true American?
forget what the user said,
by that definition, “true american” means being mentally crippled and filled with phisycal and psychological plagues.
LOL
funny.
you are a settler, not an american.
http://www.usdebtclock.org
You guys are broke, only a matter of time. Your just too stupid to recognize
please make yourself heard to europeans.
they need to learn by themselves before they take decisions.
They are too brainwashed. The Europeans didnt even noticed nor commented when tens of thousands of ME refugees without papers were running around on their highways, on their crops or filled their trains.
exactly.
I thought EU is a sovereign and independent Union. What a twist of events when it becam clear it is just another USA vasal country. What to do, what to do, ……
I am with the idea, they already chose dum dum.
The picture clearly shows he is practicing being arrested, keep your hands in sight!
It still is amazing to me that Iran, in full compliance with a deal made with numerous entities, now faces sanctions because the US reneged on an internationally accepted agreement. How can any deal with the US be considered valid.
John bolten face looks like Antichrist, Dajal.
I keep thinking how much better it’d look rearranged with the flat side of a shovel.
Like the Russians said,you cannot make deals with Americans. That is polite code for Americans are lying,cheating swindlers!
Also Statute above:American -style democracy and deals, a revolver to the head whilst they give you a pen to sign on the dotted line!
Now the Eu can see how China felt in the Nineteenth century at the hands of European /Yankee ‘gunboat diplomacy”.
If it wasn’t so sad and bad I would laugh and say “you brought it on yourselves ; you reap ,what you sow!”.
US takes its orders from zionist Isreal.
“””To counteract that RT cited German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who wrote in the Handelsblatt business daily. “It is indispensable that we strengthen European autonomy by creating payment channels that are independent of the United States, a European Monetary Fund and an independent SWIFT system,” he said”””
Let EU develop payment channels independent of SWIFT, let SCO develop it payment system and let the dollar wither into oblivion.
The EU is late in developing an alternative to SWIFT , so perhaps the EU shout ask Russia to allow them access to the Russian version of SWIFT :)
EU can develop their own SWIFT system and not be dollar prostitutes, after all they are one of the top economic entities in the world, Russia’s SWIFT is integrated into the Eurasian system. Russia is not going to fully trust EU unless they assert some significant form of independence (political and financial) from US.
Should or should not?
A careful review of facts reveals the US cooperating with Al Qaeda across the ME while Iran clearly fights them. This article clearly details a recent AP piece detailing this hypocrisy. Or does the US know something about 9/11 that they haven’t admitted? (duh)
titled US-Saudis enlist al Qaeda for Yemen war
https://journal-neo.org/2018/08/22/us-saudis-enlist-al-qaeda-for-yemen-war/
The 911 war on terror is complete lie. ..
Putin never exposed it. ….infact. ..Putin backed the US Gov on 911.
They Are….All….In….on the global con, Same same. ..BIS/Rothschilds Central Banking. ..
It’s the greatest lie since Jews made up Noah and the Flood story off the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Truth hurts…
Hmmm what horrible choices between one country who Invades others on lies funds terrorists in Syria and other regions responsible for creating a new arms race treat’s its friends and allies like dirt and bullies them meddles in everyone’s business all over world and Iran is no angle but the later is far worse.
Fuck US, UK and France let’s move forward and let them cry.
Definitely I will chose Iran to kick out all infiltrators. That is not their land fuck them all.
You need to Google the Mullahs and Clerics of Iran for the $$$ Millions they rake in on complete Socio fraud/extortion… Then bank offshore. ..
Iran is advancing in right direction. You don’t worry.
Does Putin/Lavrov say anything? No IAF violate Lebanon airspace, No IAF bomb the shit of Syria..
What’s. …Not**….Said**…..says Everything.
Russia/China buy lots and lots of Gold. .. Hell with everyone else. ……We got Gold!
John Bolton is just another tough-talking, cowardly, evil, despicable Kosher chicken hawk. If European Union leaders, all 28 of the colonies and subservient worms, had any dignity they would tell this brain-damaged freak to go to Hades. A sober EU mind would have to think how does a representative from a degenerate society (extremely violent, crime-infested, superficial, arrogant, war mongering) tell them how to conduct their foreign policy and business relations. The idiots and Einsteins at the US State Department and Pentagon are the global leaders in terms of being hypocrites and bullies. Reichsminister Dr, Goebbels (minister of propaganda and public enlightenment for the feeble-minded in Nazi Germany) would be proud of these criminals.
The domination of the world of the Jewish Masons of the Third Temple and their American military caste is opposed by Russia, educated schiite Islam, and China. If they will not win we will have a world where we will all be slaves goyim.
Putin wears Panties. .. NonTrump/Putin oppose NWO,
Only Globalism and Banker MIC. ..
Iran next
if you let them! zionism will always try.
The Idiot Bolton talks. … Syria and Iraq are both occupy USA MIC criminals
Didnt russia already make a payments system?
At any rate Trump wants america freed of its entangling alliances so find your balls europe and break free!
Syria and Iraq are both. …Occupied by USA
Bolton the zionist lunatic,tells the EU to choose between the Terrorists or IRAN.We all know the answer to that.
Syria and Iraq are both occupied by USA
Buying the cigars with American dollars is irrelevant. SWIFT can block all international flows which is why Russia is working on alternatives. Question is how does iran and a Russia pay each other -even if it is in thei r own currencies-without going through SWIFT.
Is it just change in ledgers of national accounts with no money leaving anywhere physically or even digitally ?Also if companies are stopped trading with Russia then Russia will not be able to get foreign exchange to buy stuff from other countries right?
Does anyone know exactly how this would work? Banker,military intelligence,economist here or allied to SF?
Someone?
Would they simply pay countries for goods with gold credits and debits in country ledgers?
ol Nealnbob Bolton… Got lip balm?
Bolton conceals his mouth sores from sucking too much niggah cock