Page 6 - Downstream Monitor - MEA Week 28

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Trump’s given short shrift by Tehran in resolving dispute
middLe east
WhEN the newswires on the a ernoon of July 16 reported Donald trump as saying Washing- ton had made a lot of progress in resolving its dis- pute with tehran, the immediate feeling among many analysts was that he was talking out of his behind, and as the day came to a close the Ira- nians appeared to con rm that that was indeed the case.
During a White house Cabinet meeting, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Iran had signalled it was ready to negotiate about its bal- listic missiles, prompting trump to say: “We’ll see what happens. But a lot of progress has been made.”
e only problem with that was that it was not at all clear any such signal had been given.
Pompeo appeared to be responding to a comment by Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif that tehran would discuss its missile programme if Washington ceased “making our region ready to explode” by freezing weapons sales to the UAE and Saudi Arabia—something the US is very unlikely to do—but his take on the matter drew a quick denial from the spokesman
for Iran’s mission to the United Nations, who posted on twitter: “Iran’s missiles ... are abso- lutely and under no condition negotiable with anyone or any country, period.”
Washington is using draconian sanctions to throttle Iran’s oil trade and wider economy in a policy of “maximum pressure” on tehran to agree stricter limits on its nuclear development programme, curb its ballistic missile programme and end support for proxy militia forces in Mid- dle East power struggles with US-backed Gulf Arabs.
Europe is opposed to the US policy but has done little to help protect Iran’s economy, with European companies declining to continue trade with Iran because of the danger of secondary sanctions.
Iran has said it would only enter into talks with the US if Washington dropped its sanctions. It says the Americans are waging an “economic war” that is hurting ordinary and poor Iranians the most.
e BBC reported on this matter from inside Iran in a news report released on July 16.™
Libya’s lost French missiles found
afriCa
FRANCE has acknowledged US-made Javelin missiles that it owned ended up in Libya, at a camp belonging to the Libyan National Army (LNA). In an account to the New York times, a French official said the missiles had been intended to protect French forces in the North African state.
Despite French denials, the presence of the missiles on an LNA base has con rmed many suspicions that Paris is backing the eastern Lib- ya-based group, and its leader, General Khalifa hi er.
e NY times quoted US o cials as saying they had investigated the serial numbers of the missiles and linked them to a shipment to France in 2010. A statement from France said French forces in Libya had mislaid them a er they were found to be defective.
the Javelin missiles were discovered in Gharyan, a town 80 km south of tripoli. is was seized by Government of National Accord
(GNA) forces at the end of June, in a move seen as putting pressure on the LNA and hi er. e LNA began besieging tripoli in April.
the four missiles, which are capable of destroying any commonly used armoured vehi- cles, were initially thought to have been provided to the LNA by the United Arab Emirates. e UAE strongly denied this. e Middle Eastern state has been previously cited in United Nations reports as providing materiel to the LNA, includ- ing warplanes and Russian-made surface to air missiles.
e discovery of the missiles, and blame on the UAE, has led to questions in the US over whether such arms should be supplied to that country. had the UAE supplied US-made mis- siles to the LNA this would breach both US laws and the UN embargo.
e LNA is reported to be in the process of a major new push to try and seize control of tripoli.™
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w w w . N E W S B A S E . c o m Week 28 17•July•2019