Europe Fears Instability as US Reimposes Iran Sanctions

Pompeo: Sanctions will be 'rigorously enforced'

Jason Ditz 

Posted onAugust 5, 2018CategoriesNewsTagsEU, Iran, Pompeo

European nations are expressing concern on Sunday after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the US is set to start reimposing sanctions on Iran lifted under the P5+1 nuclear deal. Pompeo says the sanctions will be “rigorously enforced.”

The US withdrew from the P5+1 deal earlier this year, but all other parties remain, and intend to keep up their respective commitments. European nations are concerned the US attempts to undermine the deal with new sanctions willfuel instability across the region.

The European Union has already committed to try to save the nuclear deal, and has passed legislation aiming to protect European companies who don’t comply with US sanctions. A lot of companies are still backing away, however, apparently unsure how well the EU will follow through on this.

The US is facing resistance from other signatories of the deal too, however. China has already ruled out complying with US demands that they stop buying Iranian oil. China buys about 35% of Iran’s exported oil, and likely will continue to do so.

https://news.antiwar.com/2018/08/05/europe-fears-instability-as-us-reimposes-iran-sanctions/