Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Monday 6 august 2018

European allies uneasy as U.S. restores Iran sanctions

By SUSANNAH GEORGE that seen on the heels of
WASHINGTON (AP) — As the Syrian conflict.
the Trump administration Pompeo laid out the strat-
readies to re-impose sanc- egy behind the sanctions
tions on Iran that were lifted in his first major address as
under the 2015 nuclear ac- secretary of state.
cord, America's European "Iran will be forced to make
allies fear greater regional a choice: either fight to
instability. keep its economy off life
President Donald Trump's support at home or keep
withdrawal from the land- squandering precious
mark agreement, signed wealth on fights abroad. It
by the U.S. and five other will not have the resources
world powers, remains one to do both," he said in May.
of the most consequential Supporters of the Iran
foreign policy decisions of agreement have long ar-
his presidency. gued that the U.S. depar-
Trump administration of- ture would alienate Euro-
ficials say the sanctions pean allies who partnered
are being restored start- with the U.S. in the negotia-
ing Monday in an effort tions.
to change the Iranian re- We "remain firmly commit-
gime's behavior. "They're ted to ensuring (the deal)
the world's largest state is upheld and we continue
sponsor of terror," Secre- to abide by our commit-
tary of State Mike Pompeo ments," the second Euro-
told Indonesian television pean diplomat said. "If we
in an interview Sunday. cannot fulfill these, this risks
"That's what America is try- Iran deciding that it no lon-
ing to get Iran to stop do- ger has to abide by the re-
ing. That's the behavioral strictions."
change that we're looking Iran's economy was
for from the Iranian regime." plunged into a downward
But many U.S. allies believe spiral following Trump's
that language is code for announcement that the
regime change, according United States was scrap-
to two European diplomats ping the nuclear deal.
involved in negotiations In this July 30, 2018, photo, an Iranian street money exchanger holds a U.S. banknote in downtown The downturn has sparked
with the Trump administra- Tehran, Iran. waves of protests across
tion over how sanctions Associated Press Iran.q
would be re-imposed.
The sanctions that go Iran's oil sector and central cause the U.S. lifted sanc- diplomats spoke on condi-
back into effect on Mon- bank — will be restored on tions against Iran as part of tion of anonymity, as they
day cover Iranian trade Nov. 4. Iranian oil sales are the agreement, it in effect were not authorized to
in automobiles and met- a crucial source of hard stripped Washington of one brief the media on ongoing
als, including gold. The U.S. currency. of its most powerful tools to negotiations.
also has banned imports The nuclear deal lifted in- penalize Tehran. If the re-imposed sanctions
of Iranian products such ternational sanctions in ex- European countries say caused the government
as carpets and pistachios change for Iran agreeing they remain committed to in Tehran to collapse, Iran
and revoked licenses that to restrictions on its nuclear the agreement, seeing it as would likely devolve into
allowed Iran to purchase program. U.N. inspectors the surest way to safeguard civil war like what unfolded
U.S. and European aircraft. said Iran was complying their national security. in Syria or radicals would
Iran acquired five new Eu- with the deal, but Trump The problem is: What next?" assume power, the diplo-
ropean commercial planes argued that it didn't do one of the European diplo- mat said.
on Sunday before the sales enough to curb Iran's ma- mats said, referring to con- A deepening of Iran's eco-
were cut off. lign activity in the region. cerns that the U.S. is eye- nomic crisis could also lead
The last and most signifi- Trump administration offi- ing regime change as the to an influx of refugees and
cant sanctions — those on cials also argued that be- sanctions' end goal. Both migrants into Europe like