Page 5 - IRANRptNov18

Iran’s economy will contract by 1.5% this year and 3.6% in 2019 under the current circumstances.
2.0 Politics
2.1 Iran’s Zarif attacks “law-breaking country” US after
meeting with Turkish, Azerbaijani counterparts
Turning the screw
Full complaince
“A law-breaking country” is attempting to punish a country that is “abiding by law” in a move that will have “severe consequences for the world order”, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in an attack on the US after a trilateral meeting with his Turkish and Azerbaijani counterparts in Istanbul on October 30.
Turkey and Azerbaijan—the president of which, Ilham Aliyev, described Iran as “like a brother” in mid-August—are expected to put up significant resistance to complying with Washington’s demand that third countries and foreign companies stop doing business with Iran under its policy of attempting to throttle the Islamic Republic’s economy with sanctions in an attempt to make the Iranians renegotiate their role in Middle East affairs.
The US in early May pulled out of the multilateral nuclear deal with Iran, but the other major power signatories to the accord—the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia—have stayed in the agreement, pointing out that there is no evidence that Iran has breached any of its conditions requiring it to limit its nuclear development programme.
Washington reintroduced heavy sanctions against Iran’s currency trade, metals and auto sectors in August. On November 5, it will turn the screw by directing sanctions at the country’s oil, gas and petrochemical industries, which generate lifeline export revenues. Turkey, like largest buyer of Iranian oil China, has already stated it has no plans to cease buying Iranian gas and crude. Second largest buyer India is also expected to continue making substantial purchases. But the US says it is determined to gradually reduce Iran’s energy exports to zero.
“Unfortunately a law-breaking country [the US) seeks to punish a country [Iran] that is abiding by law... This method will have severe consequences for the world order,” Zarif was quoted as saying by the Iranian state news agency IRNA during his Istanbul visit.
However, Zarif added: “Americans have not achieved their goals by imposing illegal sanctions against Iran”.
Tehran says it has always been in full compliance with the nuclear accord, something which has been repeatedly confirmed by the UN atomic watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Donald Trump objects that the deal, approved by predecessor Barack Obama, does not cover Iran’s ballistic missiles, participation by proxy in regional wars or what happens after the nuclear pact begins to expire in 2025.
“The world community has stood up to the US sanctions,” Zarif reportedly added after his trilateral meeting.
5 IRAN Country Report November 2018 www.intellinews.com