US Media Fail to Denounce the Trump Regime’s Unlawful Aim to Block Iranian Oil Sales
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
On Monday, Mike Pompeo announced no renewal of waivers granted for eight countries to continue purchasing Iranian oil unobstructed by the US.
“We’re going to zero…across the board,” effective midnight May 1, he roared. “We will continue to enforce sanctions and monitor compliance,” adding:
“Any nation or entity interacting with Iran should do its diligence and err on the side of caution. The risks are simply not going to be worth the benefits.”
China and Turkey strongly objected. Russia intends to maintain normal relations with the Islamic Republic, earlier vowing to help its ruling authorities counter US efforts to block its oil sales.
Weeks earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called Trump regime actions to stop Moscow’s lawful activities in the Islamic Republic “unacceptable and deeply concerning,” adding:
“Attempts to pressure and threaten Russian business…are a follow-up to the dishonorable anti-Iranian cause by the US.” Moscow intends strengthening its cooperation with the Islamic Republic.
In response to Pompeo’s Monday announcement, the self-styled newspaper of record NYT supported the unlawful action by failing to denounce it, saying:
The Trump regime’s action aims “to isolate Tehran economically and undercut its power across the Middle East (sic),” adding:
The move complicates Sino/US trade talks. “The Chinese government immediately pushed back against the decision on the waivers.”
“Any move by Beijing to keep buying Iranian oil — which analysts predicted China almost certainly will find some way to do — would force the United States to decide whether to impose sanctions on Chinese financial institutions.”
Director of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy Jason Bordoff called Trump regime efforts to block Iranian oil sales “a big challenge for the US-Chinese relationship.”
If its central bank and/or enterprises are sanctioned for continuing to buy Iranian oil, Beijing will surely retaliate.
The Times and other establishment media failed to explain the illegality of unilaterally imposed sanctions by one country against others.
Nor did they debunk false accusations against Iran, the region’s leading peace and stability proponent, combatting terrorism, not engaging in or supporting it like the US and its imperial partners.
Iran abhors nuclear weapons, wanting them eliminated everywhere. Nor did US media explain Iran’s full compliance with JCPOA nuclear deal principles, repeatedly affirmed by the IAEA.
It’s a good neighbor, seeking cooperative relations with other countries – polar opposite US aims to dominate them by brute force if other tactics fail.
The neocon/CIA house organ Washington Post said Pompeo’s Monday announcement “aim(s) to force Iran to choose between a complete change in its behavior and foreign policy (sic) or economic collapse (sic).”
It failed to explain that US hostility toward Iran and other sovereign independent states is all about demanding they bend to Washington’s will or else – flagrantly violating international and constitutional law by interfering in their lawful activities.
Last May, Pompeo gave Iran an unacceptable ultimatum, demanding the following:
He called for air-tight assurance that “Iran has no possible path to a nuclear weapon, ever” – something it deplores, never sought, and wants eliminated everywhere, all nations threatened as long as these weapons exist.
Iran must cease all uranium enrichment, pledging no plutonium processing ever. The JCPOA permits enough of the former for energy use.
Tehran must allow “unqualified access to all sites throughout the country,” including off-limits military ones according to the JCPOA.
Its government must cease its regional military activities – entirely involved in combating US supported terrorists in Syria on request of its government.
It must cease supporting legitimate entities Washington illegally declared terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Yemeni Houthis.
US citizens held by Iran must be released, no matter what crimes they committed.
The Islamic Republic must cease being a threat to Israel. It never was and isn’t now, the Jewish state a major threat to regional and global security.
It “must end its…ballistic missiles…launching or development of nuclear-capable missile systems” – the latter something it doesn’t have or want, the former it has every right to develop.
It “must…permit the disarming, demobilization, and reintegration of Shia militias” in Iraq. Tehran supports what Washington rejects – Iraqi sovereignty.
Iran must “cease harboring senior al-Qaida leaders (sic)” – a US specialty, the Islamic Republic strongly opposed to the scourge they represent.
“Iran…must end the IRGC Qods Force’s support for terrorists and militant partners around the world (sic).” What Iran abhors, Washington supports.
Pompeo called for a Senate-ratified treaty to replace the JCPOA – with provisions denying Iran its fundamental rights.
He and other bipartisan US hardliners want the Islamic Republic transformed into a vassal state, Big Oil gaining control over its vast resources, Israel’s main regional rival neutralized.
In response to Pompeo’s outrageous demands, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told him to go to hell – in diplomatic language, of course.
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