The White House has been pressuring other countries, especially in Europe, to join them in extending the embargo, so far without success
The Trump administration used one of its last remaining tools to punish the Iranian regime last Wednesday, canceling waivers on sanctions that had allowed companies from China, Russia, and Europe to work with Iran on nuclear projects.
The ending of the waivers comes at a time when the administration has already indicated it will move to block the end of an international arms embargo on Iran in October. As part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Iran was granted the right to buy weapons after five years in exchange for certain restrictions on its nuclear program. The White House has been pressuring other countries, especially in Europe, to join them in extending the embargo, so far without success.
“The entire system is gearing up ahead of October,” Danny Danon, Israel’s outgoing ambassador to the UN, told Mishpacha. “That’s why [the Americans] are taking a series of measures to secure support in the Security Council and put this subject on the UN’s agenda. It isn’t simple. But the Americans are determined.”
Washington is acting on several different fronts, using economic leverage as well as various restrictions to increase pressure. The Europeans have maintained that easing sanctions on Iran is the best way to resolve the showdown over the country’s nuclear program.
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