U.S. Exempts India, Six Others, From Iran Sanctions

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The United States said Monday it would exempt seven countries including India from tough new sanctions on their banking sector after they cut oil purchases from Iran.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton added India, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Taiwan to countries exempt from the new sanctions. In March, she made exemptions for European Union nations and Japan.

However, the United States did not announce an immediate exemption for China -- another major importer of Iranian oil. A senior U.S. official said that Washington remained in talks with the growing Asian power over the sanctions.

The decision was announced two days before Clinton was to meet Indian officials for annual talks. Looming sanctions over Iran had cast a shadow over otherwise warming relations between India and the United States.

Under a law approved last year, the United States from June 28 will begin to penalize foreign financial institutions over transactions with Iran's central bank, which handles sales of the country's key export.

Clinton described the latest exemptions as proof that nations were cutting back their business with Iran, which Israel and some Western officials fear is seeking a nuclear weapon.

"Today's announcement underscores the success of our sanctions implementation," Clinton said in a statement.

"By reducing Iran's oil sales, we are sending a decisive message to Iran's leaders: until they take concrete actions to satisfy the concerns of the international community, they will continue to face increasing isolation and pressure," she said.

The U.S. law had initially irritated some U.S. allies, fearing that cutting back oil from Iran would hurt their economies at a difficult time.

India said last month that it would cut its purchases of Iranian oil by 11 percent. The decrease is below that pledged by several other countries, but marked a change from New Delhi's initial protests that the law was unfair.

Clinton pressed India to cut back on Iranian oil during a visit last month.

Comments 5
Default-user-icon John from Koura (Guest) 12 June 2012, 00:50

Cutting 11% of Iranian imports is not significant. The Israeli lobby can run US foreign policy, but not India and other Asian countries. I love to see the US place economic sanctions on China so China can sell their US T-bills and damage the sluggish US economy. The US empire's years are numbered.

Default-user-icon Trovattore Bastagnan (Guest) 12 June 2012, 01:46

Thank you oh great master and commander for being so caring and merciful! As a sign of appreciation, oh master, you may now step on our backs and heads and crush our bones and skulls.

Default-user-icon Lebanese Pacifist (Guest) 12 June 2012, 12:47

The US and Europe should stop imposing sanctions on Syria and Iran. It clearly is for PR purposes. Either bomb their regimes away or shut up and retrench and take care of your own problems.
Iran is building its nuclear weapons program that is supposedly banned by a Fatwa from Khamanaei.
Syria is, massacre afer massacre, "pacifying the nation".
Turkey and the GCC are arming the Syrian opposition. The conflict has already spread to Lebanon. It is once again a regional proxy fight but this time in Syria.
What a mess! Children are being butchered. The US and Iran are playing their game. ENOUGH. ENOUGH.
Iran should stop dreaming of this useless nuclear weapon and instead direct its brainpower and finances to build the greatest economy in the region.
And the US should stop protecting Israel and get them to sign a just peace with the Palestinians.
Iranian and US policymakers are matched by their stupidity. Let's not play their game here in Lebanon.

Default-user-icon Lebanese Pacifist (Guest) 12 June 2012, 13:42

The US and Europe should stop imposing sanctions on Syria and Iran. It clearly is for PR purposes. Either bomb their regimes away or shut up and retrench and take care of your own problems.
Iran is building its nuclear weapons program that is supposedly banned by a Fatwa from Khamanaei.
Syria is, massacre afer massacre, "pacifying the nation".
Turkey and the GCC are arming the Syrian opposition. The conflict has already spread to Lebanon. It is once again a regional proxy fight but this time in Syria.
What a mess! Children are being butchered. The US and Iran are playing their game. ENOUGH. ENOUGH.
Iran should stop dreaming of this useless nuclear weapon and instead direct its brainpower and finances to build the greatest economy in the region.
And the US should stop protecting Israel and get them to sign a just peace with the Palestinians.
Iranian and US policymakers are matched by their stupidity. Let's not play their game here in Lebanon.

Default-user-icon John from Koura (Guest) 12 June 2012, 22:53

According to Western estimates...in 8 years China's GDP will pass the US. In 6 years the Chinese currency will replace the dollar in oil trade. And my prediction...in a decade the US will no longer be an empire and All the Arab puppets will lose power. Since Israel's Apartheid existence depends on US political, military, and economic support...Israel's years will afterwards be numbered.