Iranian commentary on sanctions

Exemptions on Iran Sanctions show U.S. retreat

Teheran Times,

21 March, 2012

TEHRAN - The fact that the United States has granted exemptions from economic sanctions on Iran to a number of countries shows Washington’s retreat from its previous decisions, Iranian MP Kazem Jalali said on Wednesday. 

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave the waivers to Belgium, Britain, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Japan, meaning that banks and other financial institutions based there will not be hit with penalties under U.S. law for 180 days, according to CBS News.

U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law a defense funding bill that imposes sanctions on financial institutions dealing with the Central Bank of Iran on December 31, 2011.

Speaking to the Persian Service of ISNA, Jalali, who is the rapporteur of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said, “The issue is a clear retreat on the part of the United States and showed that although sanctions could be implemented by the United States and certain European countries, they have not been studied expertly in many cases.”

It could be predicted that Washington would make such a decision, he stated.

Jalali added that the imposition of sanctions on the Islamic Republic is in line with psychological operations and media campaign against Iran by the United States.

Iranian MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi also told ISNA on Wednesday that the rise in oil prices caused by sanctions on Iran compelled the U.S. to grant exemptions to a number of countries