US sanctions on Iran self-defeating: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Jan Oberg, the founder of transnational.org, to talk about the recent visit of EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to Iran.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: We have the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in her second visit to Iran after the [conclusion] of the JCPOA and it was pretty remarkable the way that the overall posturing of the EU stood vis-à-vis the West when it came to this banking deal; of course the EU said that it has done all that it can. It has lifted all the nuclear-related sanctions and in terms of banking it is ensuring all the banks in Europe that is okay to do business with Iran but if hinted towards the West and particularly the US, why do you think then the US is not following through if that is coming from the EU foreign policy chief indirectly be it?

Oberg: Let me first say that I think this is in the midst of so much bad news, this is a good thing, it is good news and there are reasons to congratulate exactly these two personalities for the fact that we have a deal and what they are doing now is peace building, that is to extend all the constructive, cooperative aspects, energy, trade, etc and may be setting up an EU diplomatic office in Tehran or this is in the right direction and it is very good that the European Union for once is taking a role of a mediator or spearheading the necessary development where the US is still acting, at least some corners of the US, is acting as the grumpy superpower on its way down trying to harass Iran a little more with sanctions and putting their nose into defensive systems that have nothing to do to with the nuclear deal, etc. I am very happy that there is a leadership and on this point in the European Union who is doing the right thing because it is now that we have got to get things moving between Iran and the rest of the world and she is taking a good role here.

Press TV: Do you think that she can do more than just taking a good role and actually pressure the US to come together under this joint five countries that actually signed the JCPOA to act under their obligations?

Oberg: She can either succeed with taking leadership on behalf of the rest of the West and that would be great, or the US will find out that that game they are trying to play after this deal they had better stop it, because it is not even in their own interest.

The US could earn a lot of money on stopping these sanctions. I have always been against sanctions, in this case and all other cases, because it cost the US a lot of money too. This is a huge market with 80 million people. It is just self-defeating. But unfortunately these years and a few more years [later] there will be a number of self-defeating, self-destructing policies coming out of Washington because it is an empire on its way down and it is fighting for what it wants. Once upon a time, the US could just say what it wanted, it could bully the world as it liked but it can’t do that anymore and I have always believed the European Union had the capacity -- the economy, etc-- to be a second important civilian conflict resolution player. I have been very disappointed from Yugoslavian … but if madam Mogherini is the person we need, I am just applauding.

Press TV: Do you think that the US at all is looking at this situation as somewhat falling behind the EU when it comes to just purely economic side of this deal because we are seeing the enthusiasm that the European countries are embracing when it comes to Iran and yet the US for whatever reason, maybe it is the presidential elections I don’t know, are falling behind in terms of trying to penetrate the Iranian market?

Oberg: You know the strong influence of Israel on the opinion and on politicians in the US … I think it is all coming to an end. I am fairly optimistic. Yes, I think the US, no matter who the future president will be, will find out that it is in their own practical real politic interest to open up with Iran. This is the only logical way to go to be part of the world instead of isolating yourself if you will.

I thought it was so funny two years ago -- whenever it was – that a Non-Alliance Movement was meeting in Tehran, I think you had 130 heads of state visiting and Obama stood saying seriously that he had isolated Iran. It is falling apart to a certain extent and the intelligent … in Washington know that there is no solution to Syria which say would soon like to see some kind of solution too because that is a lot of diplomatic, legal and moral burden. They can’t get anywhere in Syria without Iran’s mediation, knowledge, formidable diplomacy under Javad Zarif, etc.  You also have the clout to do something in Syria.

So, if I was the president of the United States, which thank God I am not, I would say let’s go for it and see how far we can do things better together than keeping on with these pinpointing grumpy policies like new sanctions and you should not have these missiles. It is ridiculous now.  

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