Iranian Government Considers Comprehensive Plan against Sanctions

Iran

April 17th, 8:01am

London - Tehran - Asharq Al-Awsat

Protesters at the European Union headquarters in Brussels demonstrate against the Iranian government (Reuters)

The Iranian government is considering a plan for a comprehensive confrontation against international sanctions. Government spokesman Ali Bahadori-Jahromi said that drafting a comprehensive project to confront "illegal" sanctions is on the government's agenda. IRNA reported that Bahadori-Jahromi explained the plan, which revolves around supporting Iranian citizens affected by sanctions, incrementally reducing the effects of sanctions, and designing a legal framework to take corresponding steps against illegal international behavior. Meanwhile, the US State Department set a reward of up to $15 million for receiving information on the illicit financial network of Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and its branches, including the Quds Force. The reward dates back mainly to September 2019 and highlights the role of the IRGC in financing many terrorist attacks and operations worldwide through the Quds Force unit and regional agents. The US Department of State is offering rewards for information on the sources of revenue for the IRGC, al-Quds, its branches, or its critical financial facilitation mechanisms, including the illicit financial schemes, oil-for-money, and front companies engaged in international activity on the IRGC's behalf. The US foreign measures pursue the official financial institutions conducting trade transactions with the IRGC and investigate how the IRGC transfers funds and materials to its terrorist and militia proxies and partners. The move also targets IRGC donors or financial facilitators, financial institutions, or exchange houses facilitating Guards transactions, such as businesses or investments owned or controlled by IRGC or its financiers. The plan aims to undermine any "criminal schemes involving IRGC members and supporters, which financially benefit the organization." Last Wednesday, the IRGC intelligence service announced in a vague statement foreign operations to return hundreds of millions of dollars of frozen Iranian assets abroad. Iranian websites quoted an IRGC statement reporting that the group retrieved about $560 million of the financial pledges of the Chadormalu Mining and Industrial Company in Yazd province. Bank Sepah, which is linked to the military, and the National Steel Company are among the major investors in the group. Earlier this month, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin's special assistant, Igor Levitin, ways to accelerate establishing "the path that started to reduce the influence of the dollar in regional and international economic exchanges." They also discussed thwarting Western sanctions by ditching the dollar in their bilateral transactions, which would weaken the US currency. The two officials discussed cooperation in various economic fields, especially banking exchanges. Negotiations between the United States and Iran to revive the nuclear deal have stalled since the EU's last attempt failed last September. Reviving the nuclear deal would lift primary sanctions the previous US administration reintroduced after withdrawing from the agreement. Iran must abandon all nuclear steps that violate the terms of the agreement for the US to lift its sanctions.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4278111/iranian-government-considers-comprehensive-plan-against-sanctions