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Esfandyar Batmanghelidj @yarbatman
, 5 tweets, 3 min read Read on Twitter
This may be the most significant #Iran sanctions designation in a decade. The Trump administration knows exactly what it is doing here. It is putting the wellbeing of ordinary Iranians at risk by sanctioning a bank at the heart of trade in food + medicine.
bourseandbazaar.com/articles/2018/…
For further context with background from senior Iranian bankers, read @MotamediMaziar's reporting for @BourseBazaar:
bourseandbazaar.com/articles/2018/…
Also, we have been tracking this issue since May. It does not come as a surprise to those in the trenches:
bourseandbazaar.com/articles/2018/…
For context on the US sanctions side and the risk actions like this pose to the efficacy of a key US foreign policy tool, highly recommend this piece by @RichardMNephew and former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew which came out today:
foreignaffairs.com/articles/world…
Parsian Bank has put out a short statement on the matter:
parsian-bank.ir/Portal/Home/Sh…
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More from @yarbatman see all

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1. Everyone who cares about the wellbeing of the Iranian people and the credibility of American leadership can get behind this idea: Trump should sell grain to Iran.
bloomberg.com/view/articles/…
2. Fact 1: Iran has made strides in boosting its agricultural output, but still has a significant reliance on imports for key grains. The US is among the countries selling to Iran under sanctions exemptions. In August, Iran was the #1 destination for American soybeans.
3. Fact 2: The Trump administration is working from the Reagan playbook when it comes to its Iran policy. @mike_giglio's reporting helps illustrate this. Pompeo cites Reagan at length in his recent @ForeignAffairs piece. It's the 1980s baby!
buzzfeednews.com/article/mikegi…
Read 12 tweets
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How is this a secret? Iranian media has been writing openly about the operationalization of these arrangements for months. Plus, expanded Russian-Iranian energy cooperation was discussed back in March 2017, agreed in November 2017, and initial exports hit in December 2017.
March 2017: Russian Energy Minister Novak talks about oil barter deal
tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1395/1…
November 2017: Moscow Times announces that a energy cooperation deal was agreed when Putin was in Tehran
themoscowtimes.com/articles/iran-…
Read 5 tweets
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1. Some discussion that the ICJ's ruling on #Iran case has no real impact for the United States, because humanitarian exemption remained in place after Trump withdrew from the #JCPOA. But I think that misses the root of US shortcomings and the focus of the ruling.
2. @S_R_Anders and @tradelawnews have rightly pointed out that the May 8 and Nov 4 reimposition of sanctions made no legal changes with respect to humanitarian exports. But operational/practical changes introduced by JCPOA withdrawal in May are very clear.
3. #Iran's petition to ICJ took care to explain the importance of financial transactions for trade use of general or specific humanitarian licenses. Iran argued an interruption not merely from returning sanctions, but also from Trump's promise of *further sanctions.*
Read 14 tweets

Related threads

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#Iran pledges Syria reconstruction as Iranians plunge into poverty irannewswire.org/iran-pledges-s…
With the current inflation in #Iran which the regime puts at 46.5% for food and beverages, 54.9% for transportation, and 52.6% for home appliances, ordinary Iranians have a hard time affording food and other basic goods.
The price of meat has doubled since last year and many people say they have not been able to buy meat for months.

This is while the government has not raised wages to include Iran’s soaring inflation.
irannewswire.org/iran-pledges-s…
Read 6 tweets
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LONG THREAD

1)
 Let’s talk about a recent @TheNatlInterest piece written by Paul R. Pillar who has shamelessly voiced his arguments in defense of #Iran’s regime in parallel to the mullahs’ own officials & spokesmen.
nationalinterest.org/blog/paul-pill…
2)
 The main purpose of this pro-#Iran regime piece is to target the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” policy. This places Pillar alongside those favoring a soft approach vis-à-vis #Iran’s regime.

An approach championed by Obama.
3)
 On Pompeo’s 12 conditions for Iran:

“The administration has given the Iranian regime no realistic proposition to which it could say ‘yes’ even if it were so inclined, instead issuing a list of broad & unrealistic demands that would amount to Iran rolling over & playing dead.”
Read 30 tweets
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Multiple bodies of international law ban the use of starvation as a weapon of war. Under the Rome Statute, it’s a war crime. #iran #sanctions
Art 8 ICC: “[i]ntentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including wilfully impeding relief supplies ...” constitutes a war crime in international armed conflicts.
Geneva Conventions Article 54(1) of the 1977 Additional Protocol I provides: “Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited.”
Read 7 tweets
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1)
 Let’s talk about a recent @TheNatlInterest piece written by @tparsi & @Azodiac83 accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of seeking war with #Iran.
nationalinterest.org/blog/skeptics/…
2)
 “The Trump administration’s pressure strategy on Iran assumes that the Islamic Republic is standing on its last leg. The White House believes a gentle nudge will cause its collapse in the next few months.”
3)
 This is @tparsi & @Azodiac83’s main concern& the main distress of all #Iran apologists/lobbyist.

Why?

Ever since the Dec/Jan uprising, protests have been continuing alongside strikes by people from all walks of life. Teachers, truck drivers, farmers…
english.alarabiya.net/en/features/20…
Read 22 tweets
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The culture of corruption in the Trump Admin must stop. Today @RepTedLieu will be on the House Floor at 10AM PT/1 PM ET calling for a vote on the SWAMP FLYERS Act, a bill to stop Admin officials from using taxpayer funds for private air travel. Watch here: houselive.gov
Wondering just what the #Trump Administration’s #CultureOfCorruption has cost American taxpayers? Here’s an incomplete list: goo.gl/XtpZRz.
Thank you @RepRubenGallego @RepRaskin @RepJayapal @RepLawrence @RepTimRyan @NydiaVelazquez @EleanorNorton @RepGraceMeng @RepBarragan @RepHanabusa @RepJackyRosen @RepJimmyGomez for cosponsoring the SWAMP FLYERS Act! Urge other colleagues to support HR 3876: bit.ly/2HqDuPj
Read 3 tweets

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