Iran has been considering its response options after Donald Trump’s May 8th announcement of the US withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal (officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)). The reintroduction of the sanctions grows nearer, on top of new economic bans such as forcing companies to “wind down” their businesses in Iran within 90 or 180 days. The Persian country vowed, in the face of its First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri that the US sanctions would meet with forceful and strong resistance. On July 10th, Jahangiri said “Given the enemy’s economic war, we will face new and difficult conditions and must stand against this war with full power.” The first of the sanctions will be imposed in August, while the ones targeting oil exports will come into effect in November.
Jahangiri said that after US withdrew from the nuclear agreement, the remaining signatories vowed to be committed to their obligations, however they must make practical measures to that end. Iran has placed the condition that the US sanctions incoming do not affect Iran’s dividends thanks to European efforts.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on July 6th, as quoted by PressTV, that the remaining signatories have the political will to stand up to the US. However, if the European sides to the deal fail to fulfill their obligations, Iran would take its own measures in dealing with the US withdrawal.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on July 9th that three major European signatories to the deal have agreed to establish trade ties with Iran independent of the US dollar. This decision of France, Germany and the UK will mostly concern small and medium enterprises, however the other parties have agreed to work out measures to counteract the US sanctions.
Iran’s currency has plummeted almost 50% against the US dollar, which prompted a short strike by traders in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar. There have also been reports of brief scuffles and small-scale protests, however there have been no mass demonstrations, as reported by Gulf News. The US has also rejected any requests from EU countries for exemption of EU business from the Iran sanctions.
Al Jazeera reports that Iran’s president visited Switzerland and Austria in early July 2018 in hopes to secure trade deals. There will allegedly also be discussions with Russia about investments in the Iranian oil industry. Envoys were also sent to India and Pakistan to reaffirm cooperation. It is also a big hope for Iran that China will still remain one of its biggest oil buyers despite the American threats.
UAWire reported, on July 10th, that Iran has requested to withdraw 300 million euros from its accounts in German Banks. The information initially appeared in the German newspaper Bild, however it was confirmed by the German Government. According to the newspaper, the Iranian authorities argue that the withdrawal of such a large amount of money is needed. It will be given to Iranian citizens who, because of American sanctions, can no longer use credit cards during foreign trips. US and Israeli intelligence have expressed worries that the money could be used to fund the Iranian military, the Bild also adds.
On July 16th, Mohammad Reza Pour-Ebrahimi, the chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s Economic Commission was quoted by Iran Front Page News that crypto-currency may be used to avoid US sanctions and be used to get rid of the dollar’s hegemony. According to his words the Iranian Parliament will soon discuss the issue. He also added that one of the top priorities of the Parliament is to explore and discuss the issue of money treaties as a mechanism to avoid the sanctions. This would not be uncommon since many countries such as Russia, China and Brazil have turned to money treaties to facilitate trade transactions.
On July 17th, Reuters reported that Iran has filed a lawsuit to the International Court of Justice against the US. Alleging that Washington’s decision to impose sanctions after withdrawing from the nuclear deal violates a 1955 treaty between the two countries. Reuters further reports that a State Department official department has said that the application is without merit and the US would fight it in court.
As of July 18th, an Iranian Factory has begun producing rotors for up to 60 centrifuges a day, increasing tensions with the US over the imposing of sanctions. According to Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Tehran has also increased the capacity to generate electricity at the Natanz facility. The centrifuge factory does not in itself break the terms of the agreement.
Late on Monday, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said it is starting a process to accelerate the preparation of infrastructure for the manufacturing of centrifuge rotors and boosting the domestic capacity for the production of UF4 and UF6 gases. Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of the AEOI, as quoted by PressTV, that Iran will inform the International Atomic Energy Agency of the start of the process to increase the production capacity of uranium hexafluoride (UF6), a chemical compound that is used as feedstock for centrifuges.
The announcement by the head of Iran’s atomic agency on July 18th came a month after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered agencies to prepare to increase uranium enrichment capacity, as reported by Al Jazeera. The Leader has ordered the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to make preparations for enrichment of uranium up to a level of 190,000SWU without any delay. SWU is the standard measure of the effort required to separate isotopes of uranium during an enrichment process. 1SWU is equivalent to 1 kilogram of separative work.
Iran has regularly said that the country’s nuclear work is for electricity generation and other peaceful projects. For now, the country is adhering to the accord, and it is waiting to see what the other parties in it can do, albeit Tehran has made apparent that it is prepared to initiate its enrichment activities immediately if need be. However, as reported by the Financial Times that Iran is also adamant on pursuing its ballistic missile program.
We have mild power shortage as the total power consumption is reaching %85 of the grid capacity. As a record-breaker nation, we heroically managed to shatter our own power consumption record in the first month of summer (today is still 27th), not once, not twice but three times… Yay!
Seriously, it’s HOT! In some cities it’s about 50c (that’s 122F) and a lot of power goes to cool things down. Workday start 2 hours earlier, all manners of power conservation campaigns BUT it’s written on the stone that the street lamps must be turned on early and shut off late. Oh, we also cut electricity exports to Iraq. I guess we’re somehow guilty for the unrest in southern Iraq and apparently it has nothing to with Iraq not paying the bill which is exceeded [the equivalent of] $1bn. Shame on us!
All this rant to tell you that we need atom. “People didn’t know that electricity comes from atom. Did you know that electricity comes from atom? Very few of people know that electricity comes from atom. Which is tremendous, believe me. Loser countries invest in renewable energies like solar, what if it’s night? We have the best atom in the world! It’s fantastic!”
In case you, the one in the third row with baseball hat didn’t get it, yes, I was doing my best Trump impersonation
For me you are welcome to come live in Europe when it becomes unlivable there, but you have to respect our way of life though ;)
Fuck off Israeli spambot.
(((matt))) = filthy kike
your mother is a hippo :))))))
Jew rat is literally the lowest life form on the planet
prejudice cockroach is worse :)))))
I’m so glad I’m not a Jew filth.
you are even worse, you’re pathetic :))))
haha I’m glad you at least acknowledge that Jew is filth
jewish religion? yes, as any other religion
Thank you, but no thank you. Why would I ever leave this beautiful country? Unlivable? You wish! Since the beginning of time Iran was an arid land and we learnt how to deal with it.
Even if I decide to go somewhere else, I’d prefer to go where it’s habitable itself (by this pace, “your way of life” is going to somewhere that sun doesn’t shine) or if it’s not ideal, at least the ladies are the most attractive, say Columbia. Not that I can get any (I might be very ugly, crossed-eyes, lame, hunchback, stuttering, bald, bad teeth, the whole package and don’t wash myself, due to lack of water and not respecting “your way of life”. I can neither confirm nor deny these), but at least I can feast my eyes…
I agree about colombia, or any other country in south america :))))))
But you are wrong about the arid land. Iran used to be VERY green!!!
I know what a :) means, I even think I know what :)) means, but I have no idea what a :)))))) might be. Are those double chins? Or are you just happy by fantasizing about south America and the bounty it offers?
Yes, Iran used to be very green in Pleistocene era but I’m not old enough to remember it.
Human “civilisations” turn Iran into desert (and many other places)
I am a south america lover, yes and i have good memories about it. Hopefully i can retire there one day
Do you also believe that all desert countries that are located on the “horse latitudes” are so because of civilization? Look it up (hint, it is located around the 30 degrees north and south of the equator, like Iran (MENA actually), Australia, Mexico, Patagonia and is a geological and meteorological phenomenon) and please stick to the things which you’re informed about. A good research for you could be the Persian architecture and it’s relation with the environment.
Take care of her, the most precious years are the ones which you live together, before some jackas$ shows up and robs you of your treasure.
No, i do not believe that all deserts exist because of human civilizations, but in the case of Afghanistan/Iran/Iraq/Syria?Egypt YES! Too many civilizations robbed and raped nature for 10.000 years there. Today there are just too many people on the planet and in the ME the population is still growing, not good! I love the Persian wind catchers, but i still want to see them for myself. And a lot of other beautiful culture there.
Thank you for thinking about my treasure in that way, much appreciated!! It is my only child
matt pls think 5 five minutes
egypt is only arable because of its nile river and the farming techniques of the farmers
its located in the sahara its the biggest desert on the planet you blame over population and enviromental “robbing”( whatever this is before the industrial revolution ) for its desert landscape ?
iran was a desert 3000 years ago and its still today if iran has osasis and arable land its because of the qanat systems and persian tradition to guide water from the mountains into the valles where the soil is fertile
How can Iran Afghanistan where green? its a High Plateau close to the equator africa and arabia are close by so less rain comes from oceans in the north and east you have the eurasian land mass
in the ice age iran was green due to lower global temperatures but since it ended iran has become a desert it was a desert when first aryans settled there
you cann see it in their nomadic live style (= grass eating heards /tent culture – even the pillars in persepolis are inspired by tents )
stop blaming iran for the water problems this region always had water problems iran is now in the position to change them because of dam construction nuclear energy and desalination of gulf water
seyed_hadi_aghazadeh yes but
Yes electricity comes from the atom, but so does everything else in our world.
Solar is also important dear Garga
iran should use every type of energy usable for a modern nation atom Solar water Gas
Sha, there’s a line at the end of my comment which is hidden under “spoiler” code. If you’re on a PC, just point your mouse over the grey lines to see the content. Iran has locations with about 300 sunny days per year which is fantastic for solar power plants and areas with constant winds for the wind power plants and places for geothermal electricity generation. There was a couple of MUs with various European companies to build solar plants with 1GW and more output, I’m not sure with the fear of Euro companies of US sanctions the contracts goes through.
I don’t think Iran should get back into enrichment. Iran only started enriching uranium, because the US would not allow them to buy fuel for their reactors. If Iran truly wants to destroy the USA, it should start selling oil, at a discount in any currency except US dollars. Israel will buy the oil and resell it for profit, with no complaints from the US, because Israel rules the USA.
Clever.
stupid, if they did, they wouldn’t destroy it for a short term profit