Iran nuclear deal: US imposes new sanctions over missiles

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: BBC

The US has imposed fresh sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals over a recent ballistic missile test.

The new sanctions prevent 11 entities and individuals linked to the missile programme from using the US banking system.

The move came after international nuclear sanctions on Iran were lifted as part of a deal hailed by President Barack Obama on Sunday as "smart".

Four American-Iranians were also freed in a prisoner swap as part of the deal.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35338901

---

US imposes sanctions linked to Iran's ballistic missile program

Washington (AFP) - The United States on Sunday announced new sanctions linked to Iran's ballistic missile program, just a day after sanctions targeting its nuclear program were lifted.

In remarks shortly before the US announcement, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said that any new American sanctions would be "met by an appropriate response."

The US Treasury Department said in a statement that it had added five Iranian nationals and a network of companies based in the United Arab Emirates and China to an American blacklist.

It said the network had "obfuscated the end user of sensitive goods for missile proliferation by using front companies in third countries to deceive foreign suppliers" and that the five individuals had "worked to procure ballistic missile components for Iran."

http://news.yahoo.com/us-imposes-sanctions-linked-irans-ballistic-missile-program-153440592.html

[mylye2222]

1. So Clinton wins....

When Madam's free passes will be over?

[karynnj]

6. These were delayed, but not canceled and were in response to the missile test

They are nowhere as consequential as the ones removed.

I think Clinton was tone deaf in first waiting about 12 hours to respond and then mixing very real praise with criticism over the sailor incident (where it is tricky politically, but it very hard to say the treatment was terribly bad) and many additional negative comments.

I think she should have celebrated both the important moment that represented that Iran seriously degraded its nuclear facilities and supplies. There is still a public opinion contest on the deal here - even though it is clear that other than Israel and the Sunni states - it is seen as a very big accomplishment. Appearing to join Republican criticism makes Obama's job of getting people to see it as good. By November, I think it helps us - no matter the nominee - if the Iran deal is seen as having been positive.

[MBS]

13. "tone deaf"

is, I'm afraid, a consistent problem, and, even more than my disagreements about various policy/philosophy issues, I really am dismayed about her clumsiness on the political strategy front.
Very worried about this election.

BTW, good analysis from you, as usual.

[George II]

25. Clinton "wins"? This isn't a game, its important stuff, and this just proves...

....that she knows what she's talking about with common sense, worldy ideas.

And I guess everyone who was here yesterday claiming she was going against the Obama administration will retract those nasty accusations?

[passiveporcupine]

43. While I agree that the response here was unreasonable concerning her statement

My issue with it is that Obama was waiting to impose the sanctions (or even mention them) until the prisoners were safely out of Iran. Hillary made her little speech the day before they were flown out. Her need to prove her chops to her followers about how tough she was, could have threatened their safety. She should have kept her trap shut.

[sufrommich]

2. The Obama administration has been threatening

to do this for at least a year. The nuclear sanctions and ballistic missile sanctions are two different things. The manufactured outrage over Hillary breaking with the administration was ignorant and ill informed to anyone who's been paying attention.

[OKNancy]

3. +1000

She is obviously still in tune with the Obama administration.
I trust that she knows a lot more than internet warriors who think they are experts on foreign policy.

[karynnj]

14. No she isn't - she shouldn't be and you would not want her to be

She HAS to have her own independent positions and has to state them. In fact, one thing her book did was to strongly identify where her position would have been different. Then there were interviews, especially one with J J Goldberg where she blasted Obama - even saying that because he did not take her more hawkish path in Syria, ISIS had a chance to grow.

My problems here is that she could have given the praise part of her comments as soon as it was clear that it was implementation day and the prisoners were released early in the day --- even adding - as the administration had for months that sanctions on terrorism and other violations were separate from the far graver INTERNATIONAL sanctions against the nuclear program.

However, while pile on the meme that Iran acted inappropriately against our sailors?

It is interesting that if you look at the reports of her comments, the praise (including her comment that she started it (though obviously Obama did ) got little notice. What was picked up was the criticisms on the sailors, Bob Levinson, a call for sanctions WITHOUT any of the language that the administration used to to define it as "targeted", and some negative characterizations of Iran. To me, the net result is that this helps those against the Obama foreign policy.

Let me say another thing about the problem with using this moment where the world came together and avoided a war to use inflammatory rhetorical language on Iran. How much better would it be to instead - even using her distrust and verify phrase - to commend and demand Zarif ACT on his call of this being a beginning to all Muslims working to eliminate extremism.

Note that even as Rouhani and Zarif have worked with Obama and Kerry, the Congress points to inflammatory statements by the revolutionary guards and the Ayatollah himself. Rouhani's own statement on the importance of yesterday spoke of the Republican Congressmen's statements in almost the same way. How encouraging is it to Rouhani to have the leading DEMOCRATIC nominee to be President repeating the same things.

The best possibility - might be that they see that they should work as productively as they can with the Obama/Kerry team on Syria, Yemen and continuing to work against ISIS.

[MBS]

15. " " " "

[mylye2222]

21. Agree that having her waited 12 hours before adress the news

AND then mixed praises with criticism (of a President and Admin she served for 4 years) makes you wonder how far she, before to speak, balanved how her statement would be politically expedient to her.

[karynnj]

23. I assume it had to do with the prisoner release and not knowing how that would play

The implementation Day was totally expected and very significant due to the very important UP FRONT things Iran had to do. I can imagine that they had prepared exactly what to say for that. There was no reason to address the sailor thing at the same time, especially if they wanted to time to see how it played out in public opinion. It was a nit compared to the significance of the actual deal which likely has avoided a war with Iran.

The wait and then responding on all three together rather muddles her praise for the deal - even as she says it makes the world safer - suggests that she wanted to BALANCE praise with criticism. The WH spoke almost entirely about the nuclear deal, but case the others in positive ways.

There is a very strong case to make for the sailors being very lucky that the nuclear deal happened and Zarif and Kerry had continued to keep a diplomatic channel open -- even though Zarif was attacked at home for that relationship. British sailors who slipped into Iranian water in 2007 were kept 13 days and the UK had better relations than we did even in 2013. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Iranian_seizure_of_Royal_Navy_personnel

[enid602]

5. too complex

I'm afraid this is just too complex a topic for the other camp to grasp.

[Rose Siding]

16. Pretty obvious. Still I was glad to find the details in this PR

from Treasury, with today's date-

https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0322.aspx

Of. Course. Hilz knew about this.

It's just that some Sanders supporters have created/bought into a cinema worthy Super Villain version of HRC and are unable to see past their own hype. That Franken-monster-goliath-gollum with the blood drippy fangs meme gets sloshed onto her endorsers and supporters as well.

[BlueMTexpat]

26. + a million or so. eom

[azurnoir]

40. Lol Hillary called for sanctions again Iran as a whole not 5 Iranian people

and some companies that are in the Emirates and China but that is rather complex , huh?

[karynnj]

7. i have more problem that she jumped on the "they mistreated our sailors" band wagon

She is going JUST from the same photos and video we all saw. Now, there are videos and photos where you see things clearly wrong. This was not one of them.

[sufrommich]

8. They did mistreat those sailors. I doubt that many

Americans are going to be angry at her for stating the obvious.

[secondwind]

10. we had warships in the region.. Iran had a right to ask sailors to put hands up

[sufrommich]

11. Iran filmed and released footage of sailors

obviously repeating what they were told to say and do. That's mistreatment.

[karynnj]

17. I'm confused, we WANT video from Chicago et al to see what happened; but say it is mistreatment

to show anything from the 16 hours?

In fact, think back to various protests from the Vietnam era, for civil rights etc Kerry's arms are up in a famous photo of when the Lexington MA police arrested antiwar protesters.

The other photos in the room showed that they were sitting on a carpet, had pillows and were given bottled water, fresh fruit and some Persian food. This is not exactly Abu Ghraib territory. To me putting those out was probably intended to back up Zarif's telling Kerry that they were given blankets and fed and would be released in the morning as it was already night there.

Obviously this had to be terrifying for the sailors, but just looking at the guy speaking, his body language seemed relieved and relaxed.

[sufrommich]

20. There's no comparison to citizens and journalists

filming police brutality and nation states releasing scripted footage of captives,that's a strange analogy to say the least. One has nothing to do with the other.

[karynnj]

18. No they won't be angry at HER -- of course not

However it fuels their anger at Obama and at Iran. It is typical Clinton pandering and IMO irresponsible.

[Cosmocat]

9. Or ...

republican like ...

[Chemisse]

12. That was not clear to me, leading up to this.

This is a big relief.

[underpants]

4. Oooh

Gut punch to some here

[vkkv]

19. Seems that HRC speaks out of two side of her mouth, three if you include

Chelsea.

[Sunlei]

22. Feds should bring charges against any Americans who created "front companies in third countries to

"front companies in third countries to deceive foreign suppliers"

Those American investors always seem to be able to keep their millions/ billions in shady profits.

[George II]

24. Hmmm, and Clinton got run over here on DU for saying we should do that. Go figure!

[mcar]

27. I anxiously await the deletion of all those posts

So we can return to discussing the issues, which is what people really want to do here.

At least that's what I've been told.

[JonLeibowitz]

28. That is not what Hillary called for. Obama put sanctions on individuals/companies. Hillary did not.

Hillary called for sanctions on Iran, the country. See:

“Iran is still violating UN Security Council resolutions with its ballistic missile program, which should be met with new sanctions designations and firm resolve” --HRC

Sure seems to be a call for sanctions on the country proper.

[George II]

29. I suggest you read more about the sanctions that Obama announced this weekend. Hint:

They're in response to Iran's ballistic missile program.

[JonLeibowitz]

30. I suggest you not suppose I haven't read about them. The sanctions were not placed on Iran

Hillary called for them to be placed on Iran.

[MeNMyVolt]

31. Oh FFS.

[JonLeibowitz]

32. Brilliant retort, as expected.

[joshcryer]

33. "sanctions designations" is exactly what they did.

"designations" is mentioned 17 times in the press release: https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0322.aspx

[JonLeibowitz]

34. Hillary said Iran proper was in violation, these sanctions designations are directed at individuals

Seems to me to be a pretty big difference.

[joshcryer]

35. "designations" is the code word.

She probably knew there would be "designations" which is why she said that.

[JonLeibowitz]

36. I'm sure she did know that, she gets regular security briefings. However, she should have been clear

She should have been clear in a call for sanctions against individuals if that is what she meant. As her statements stand, she called for sanctions against a country.

If you can point out her stating individuals should be sanctioned and not the country, I will retract my statements.

[joshcryer]

37. That's what designations are.

People and companies.

As part of its enforcement efforts, OFAC publishes a list of individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries. It also lists individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. Collectively, such individuals and companies are called "Specially Designated Nationals" or "SDNs." Their assets are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them. Click here for more information on Treasury's Sanctions Programs.

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/default.aspx

It's no coincidence she used that word, she knew there would be designations, and called for them.

[azurnoir]

39. why would Hillary be getting "security briefings" and from who exactly, she's a private citizen

she holds no political office or position

[JonLeibowitz]

41. ex-Presidents also receive regular security briefings. I don't know why -- it's like a private club.

[azurnoir]

42. and Hillary was POTUS when?

[Gothmog]

38. These sanctions are appropriate