The US President brought sanctions against Iran into effect on 7 August, with more to come in November. UK and EU companies are warned that they need to comply with the bans on automotive, oil trading and other goods with Iran being introduced in two phases. The US Executive Order takes powers to enforce this against foreign companies by warning them that if they do not comply their assets and income in the USA can be distrained to pay fines and penalties, actions can be taken against their executives on landing in the USA, and they will find they cannot use US banks to facilitate their trade and business anywhere in the world. Many EU and UK companies have accepted this extra territorial assertion of power and are cutting their Iran trade in order to keep the far bigger US and global trade that could be damaged otherwise.
The EU acting for  the  member states argues against accepting these US sanctions. It has rushed out a reprise of the EU Blocking Statute of 1996 which was designed then to deal with US sanctions against Cuba, a legal instrument which was never used. It has added to this document provisions to cover trade with modern Iran, and seeks to impose a ban on EU companies complying with the US sanctions. Were this to be effective legally it would mean a double jeopardy for EU companies, facing legal actions against them and their US business if they bust the sanctions imposed by the US, and facing EU legal actions if they comply with the sanctions.
The form of the EU legal document is unclear. There is to be a committee of member states to supervise its actions. Member states themselves are invited to put in a penalties regime for companies breaking the Blocking Statute requirements. Bringing a case where a company simply  decides against doing business in Iran could be difficult if the member states do put in place the necessary legal enforcement, though it would be easier if an EU company had broken an existing contract for fear of US retaliation.
This development of a further trade spat between the USA and the EU is unhelpful. Meanwhile we await the talks between the EU and the US over car tariffs and other matters.
August 8, 2018
Governments and politicians do seem to like placing business in almost impossible positions. This through a constant stream of usually idiot, ambiguous and ill thought through regulations – both domestic and international. It does huge damage in general. Perhaps one day they will get together and have a sensible regime but it seems unlikely.
August 8, 2018
Geopolitics trumps everything!
August 8, 2018
Germany buys 50-70 percent of its gas from Russia. I thought there was alleged sanctions against Russia because of Ukraine, Crimea, Skripplels etc. Or as with most EU rules Germany does as it pleases i.e. Trade surplus against rules, unlaterally imposes mass immigration from Africa to EU countries without agreement or consensus. I am lost at the EUs false upset when all the world knows it was a very bad deal with Iran with no real substance tonridding nuclear weapons and a sunset clause!
JR, is this really about Siemens, a German firm, losing business in Iran?
August 8, 2018
Germany is by far the largest net contributor to the EU, so as the saying goes, ‘he who pays the piper……’
BTW, Mr. Dominic Grieve says he’ll resign if Boris ‘Bunter’ Johnson become leader of the Tory Party – BB gets my vote!
August 8, 2018
A lot of the gas used in the UK comes from Russia, the pipelines go from Russia, through mainland Europe and over the sea to the UK.
Not as much as Germany (mainly because they have chosen to shut down their nuclear power production, and not build any new, as they now regard nuclear as too dangerous), but still a lot
August 8, 2018
Why are many of the current leadership of the Tory party trying to suppress free speech for Boris.
If you cannot offend some then people free speech is dead. Some are offended by almost everything after all. It is not “illiberal” language it is perfectly fair comment and free speech. Why on earth are May and the rest of the lefty, remainer idiots at the top of the Tory party so against it?
You can where what you want to but other can comment on it freely if they want to. You have not right to stop them anymore than they have to tell you what to where.
etc ed
August 8, 2018
“wear” I meant
August 8, 2018
Absolutely right, but it is probably a case of any stick will do to beat him with.
August 8, 2018
Its an effort by the remainiacs to discredit Boris to get their Chequers surrender through without a leadership contest!
Tory’s are toast if Chequers is the deal! Democracy will be dead!
August 8, 2018
Lifelogic,
They are against it because they are lefty remainer idiots… ipso facto
It’s the way it rolls with T May like when Andrea Leadsom was shut down when she merely commented on the fact that T May has never had children.
zorro
August 8, 2018
@ life logic
“If you cannot offend some then people free speech is dead. Some are offended by almost everything after all. It is not “illiberal” language it is perfectly fair comment and free speech. Why on earth are May and the rest of the lefty, remainer idiots at the top of the Tory party so against it?”
Well actually I find May’s language far more offensive.
That woman has the bare faced cheek to call Boris Johnson’s remarks offensive, while she is galavanting across Europe talking away our freedom and sovereignty. She’s an absolute hypocrite, and SHE is offensive in the extreme.
You’d have thought by now May and her seditious cohorts would know nationalism is on the rise across Europe and therefore the game is up. People have had enough of political correctness, and the day is coming when those responsible for forcing everyone to live in fear of it will be held to account.
But the fact that May has jumped on this tells me how desperate she must be to seize any opportunity to be liked by someone, even with minorities. If that’s the best she can do, well quite pathetic really.
This woman must rank alongside Blair as one of the most hated Prime Ministers our country has ever had. Both are England – haters and both are liars.
August 9, 2018
The CP does not recognise any right to free speech at all. Or if they do, they certainly don’t speak up about it.
I just watched a very good documentary (“Farmlands”). Wee-researched by a well-spoken, well-educated 22 year old Canadian journalist. (Unfiltered through the BBC.)
Yet this journalist is the sort of person that our government sees fit to ban from entering the UK (under the terrorism act!)
Free speech is very close to my heart, having grown up in the country where Farmlands was filmed. The country that for many years banned Mandela from having a voice.
People are already drawing comparisons with our own government suppressing the rights of free speech and supporting censorship of social media.
There is only one political party (at the moment) openly supporting freedom of speech. Quite possibly Brexiteers in the CP do not want to distract from Brexit, but it is really poor that no-one is prepared to speak up for freedom of speech.
August 9, 2018
Agreed. The pathetic virtue signalling by the PM and Party Chairman is as lamentable as it is idiotic, and merely shows how alarmingly out of touch they are with the greater part of the electorate outside the M25. It’s frankly embarrassing. The idea of setting up an enquiry aimed at censoring the remarks of a back bencher, which breach no laws, is absurd and can only bring the Party into further disrepute. The patently obvious aim is to discredit a Brexiteer leadership contender and this will backfire spectacularly. Both PM and Chairman really have to go and go quickly.
August 8, 2018
Good morning
I confess to be a little confused over why sanctions are imposed on Iran but never say, Pakistan ? For whatever arguments one hears against Iran, you can pretty much make the same against Pakistan.
If the USA wishes to impose sanctions on another country that is its business. To seek others to do so without going through proper channels is wrong.
What concerns me is, that it will be the UK that is most likely to suffer particularly our petrochem industry.
August 8, 2018
Where is it written that outside of the five Non-Proliferation Treaty States; Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, India, Pakistan and Israel can have nuclear weapons ; but, Iran can’t?
August 8, 2018
Acorn, Where was it written, before the EEC (EU) unilaterally decided in 1972, that our fish belonged to the EU? The EU and its fellow travelers are hypocrites.
August 8, 2018
When you say “fish”, are we talking torpedoes with nuclear warheads or … er … fish type fish? I am struggling to make the connection between my comment and your reply.
August 9, 2018
The CFP was invented by the French to steal our fish six months before Traitor Heath signed us up to the Treaty of Rome, so we were shafted by a traitorous Tory who put vassalage to the Brussels regime and all that it entailed above the national interest.
August 9, 2018
Because the US is getting ready for yet another illegal war using nuclear weapons as an excuse as Iran lacks a ‘dictator’ who has to be toppled.
Hope the EU stays firm although no doubt Britain will respond in the usual way where the US is concerned – when they say jump we say how high!
August 8, 2018
And in a knee jerk reaction, continuing to want to suck up to the EU, our Foreign Secretary sided with them. So companies will be damned if they trade and damned if they don’t, maybe Mr Hunt who seemed to forget the nationality of his wife, could explain what a company does in practice.
Politically it is an extraordinary position to hack off the biggest trading nation in the world who we need a trade deal with in less than a year in favour of an organisation we are leaving.
More proof that the civil service, this time the Foreign Office, are determined to stay wedded to the EU and another nail in the leave means leave coffin.
August 8, 2018
Much truth is that. But a least Jeremy Hunt did such a wonderful job endlessly apologising for the basket case NHS over which he presided for nearly 4 years. He really was very good at saying sorry for this and for that.
A great shame he did so little to sort it out and stop or reduce some of the very many lives it “shortened” ever day/week/year due to the appalling and unworkable way it is funded and structured though. Perhaps about 40,000 at a rough estimate during his term of office – compared to even a half way decent health care system.
August 8, 2018
40,000 is a massive under estimate
talk to some hospice docs close to retirement (and therefore able to be open)
August 8, 2018
May has consistently sided with the EU on everything in a robust way also publicly stating she challenges Trump when the national interest is not with the EU. As we depart she could keep a close quiet counsel. It would be shrewd notnto make a fuss, or quietly go along with the EU until March next year.
But as Lord Lawson says she is hopeless.
August 8, 2018
An interpretation of why Mrs. May joins in so heartily with the EU is because she has no intention of letting us leave the EU.
August 9, 2018
Mrs May could resign and be an “Ambassador for Peace” in the Middle East.
Though Blair is a hard act to follow with his resounding success. He is good on guitar.
August 9, 2018
Hopeless indeed. Wrong on every issue.
August 8, 2018
After all the Geoblocking of US sites in 2016 resulting from EUVAT and then again in 2018 for GDPR, the EU making trade with the US more difficult is not an unheard-of event. I suspect, as with one of the laws I mentioned above, certain member states will simply decline to enforce whatever penalties regime is out in place.
August 8, 2018
Ps off topic. What a preened, puffed up pipsqueak Brandon Lewis is. Well said Boris.
August 8, 2018
Agreed…
August 8, 2018
Didn’t think this subject was getting through moderation.
Ironically it seems there is a correct way to talk about it
August 8, 2018
When the US has a disagreement with the EU & we are not a member, that is a matter for them.
August 8, 2018
The USA is acting as a bully. In the circumstances companies will make their choices on the balance of pain between available options. I doubt that the German government will punish Mercedes for choosing trade in and with the USA over Iran. It also seems clear that such US actions are accelerating moves to escape US sanctions by other countries. These include development of the petro-yuan to facilitate oil trade between Iran, China and India and international payment systems to by pass the US controlled SWIFT settlement system which China, Russia and others want to avoid to escape US sanctions. These trends seem to be well underway and they will, over time, blunt US sanctions policy.
August 8, 2018
No it is not. The US is using its market influence and making business make a choice. The businesses do not have to trade with the US.
In contrast the EU is acting like a bully and racketeer with the way it applies its tariffs to creat a protectionists regime. Threats of many kinds because our country voluntarily chose to leave its dictorial clutches.
August 8, 2018
The EU is certainly a bully in its behaviour. So is the USA in using a variety of threats to get its way up to and including death and destruction of its opponents and/or the overhtrow of governments.
August 9, 2018
When did Iran become a friend of the U.K.? Is this a matter the EU decided and the U.K. Went along with the EU foreign policy?
The US and Trump can make its won foreign policy based on its own interest. The U.K. Cannot. So stop the false narratives.
August 8, 2018
And why is a government interfering in a market? It would be a different matter if individual companies decided not to trade with those who trade with Iran…but this is State enforced.
August 8, 2018
Again to simplify . You are damned if you do and are damned if you don’t. Many workers have been in this position in their places of work and will understand how they have to take sides and face consequences of the least hurtful rather than the desirable.
August 8, 2018
Another good reason to leave this German dominated entity. We should be following foreign policy which suits us. America is right to sanction Iran as they are a destabilising force worldwide.
France and Germany are only too happy to deal with the Mullahs.
August 8, 2018
“…they are a destabilising force worldwide”……and America isn’t?!Hopefully I don’t need to quote you some of the many examples.
And if the US ultimately loses this fight – with what is not just Iran but a powerful,consolidating Eurasian bloc,we will be on the wrong side of history.Well and truly that “small island off the coast of Europe that no-one listens to”.
August 8, 2018
Omit behaviour.
August 8, 2018
Mitchel, The EU, or its constituent states, appears to have jumped on the USA interference bandwagon at almost every opportunity. If, as you Remains insist, the UK cannot be independent, then I would prefer to be the “51st state” than the EU’s cash cow treasure island. And your idea that the “Eurasian bloc” (whatever that is) has any unified policy is purely for the birds.
August 9, 2018
I’m certainly not a Remain and I think you need to do a little more research about how very close the relationship between Russia and China is and what they are up to.
August 9, 2018
@Mitchel
Maybe you think scientifically sometimes, as we all do. In that each question/problem has an answer if only we can find it. Science detached from its mother: Philosophy… too early for anyone’s good.
It is by no means inevitable that there is an Answer. In practice, we are only every capable of stumbling upon a question which delivers an answer, we CON ourselves we understand. But they are questions by humans. In that, some animals effectively do not ask questions can be that “objectively” there is no question which can be asked.
“It is so because it is so” is alien to the human mind. Our logic is a pattern of processing we make into a pattern as is our wont. But patterns do not actually exist. Or(s) we are not capable of ever comprehending it.
So aside from Ancient Greek wino-talk and the infinitely superior British beer-talk, we may only be able to effect temporary solutions/answers to the Middle East. ..most probably through our Western eyes, as we see them.
August 9, 2018
Since Trump’s move is supported by allies in the ME (including Israel and Saudi Arabia) the chances are slim of the EU getting Asia to back them in a cause that is so clearly linked to Franco-German trade concerns.
August 8, 2018
Ian wragg..but it would be ok if it was british dominated..and there lies the problem..we’d like to set up our own EU bloc if only we could get some support
August 8, 2018
If we were smart we’d offer to comply with the US ban in return for a trade deal on 30 March.
August 8, 2018
Sir Joe Soap..how naive you are? If you think that Trump or anyone else belonging to him gives two hoots about the UK’s predicament or wants a trade deal with us..trump is for trump only just as america is for america ..and always america first..
So what kind of a deal were you thinking of? Something that might compensate for our loss of trade with the EU?..well you can forget about it because what we have here right now is as good as it gets..
August 8, 2018
StanleyW, How naive are you? If you think that the EU, or any state belonging to it, gives two hoots about the UK’s predicament or wants a trade deal with us .. Merkel is for Merkel only just as the EU is for the EU.
So what kind of a deal were you thinking of? Something that might compensate for our loss of trade with the USA?..well you can forget about it because what we have here right now with the EU is as bad as it gets..
August 9, 2018
Have you ever wondered why growth is so limited in the EU at the moment? Why unemployment is so high?
Could be because of pessimistic views like your own. “This is as good as it gets” rather limits your aspirations – no?
August 8, 2018
Amazing how so called free trade can once again be complicated even further by politicians.
August 8, 2018
“This development of a further trade spat between the USA and the EU is unhelpful.”
Well, JR: Israel is facing an existential threat from an enemy to the north, which is also rather unhelpful. That enemy is not a people or nation, or even a religion, but it is a ‘religious regime’. For that reason alone, it is extremely dangerous. It has continually and unashamedly set out its avowed intent, and is believed to be lying about its cessation of nuclear capabilities. It is behind the war against Saudi Arabia via its proxies in Yemen, and is taking advantage of the situation in Syria to prepare for a devastating attack to the south.
Meanwhile, the EU had rushed to trade with Iran – but that money is supporting these aggressive policies, not the Iranian people who are protesting on the streets. And what do we do? Go with the EU flow, and try to APPEASE the regime! There’s an ominous pattern here – its all happened before.
Even if we were out of the EU, there’s no guarantee a myopic liberal-left-minded Britain would get this right. But at this crucial moment, please – NOT IN MY NAME!
August 8, 2018
It’s interesting how Boris is being vilified over his description of the Burks. His article was actually defending the right to wear them and saying that the Danish government was wrong to ban them.
It is obvious that the remain contingent are leading the charge as he is now the favourite to depose May and give us a proper Brexit.
It’s also worrying that the MOD continue to award defence contracts to Germany and Holland when they are refusing UK companies participating in the Galileo project.
August 8, 2018
Boris has no need to apologise for speaking the truth.
Treason May is the one that should apologise for her double dealing in her mendacious attempt to convert Brexit to Bremain.
August 8, 2018
A couple of words in a 1000 word essay which was generally supportive of the right to wear the burka and the Muslims go bananas again, supported by the BBC who ran it all day yesterday and seem determined to do so again today. The seem to take offence far too easily, in an effort to shut down any discussion by calling ‘Islamophobia’ any time someone says something they remotely don’t like. The weak Teresa May piling in against Boris shows she is as clueless as the deeply unimpressive Brandon Lewis.
August 9, 2018
We had Brexit Derangement Syndrome; then we had Trump Derangement Syndrome; now we have Boris Derangement Syndrome.
August 8, 2018
Read Guido, Ken Clarke has used worse language, supported by Soubry etc. May had a van with writing on it saying go home! Windrush scandal against black folk legally here etc. Boris is a threat to their Remain position. This is what it is really about. And again, May seen to be two faced, insincere and you cannot believe a word she says. Yesterday repeating her lie in Scotland that she has kept faith with the Brexit vote! Liar.
August 8, 2018
Hope
Agreed, No Surprise Soubry and others are trying to make the most out of it.
They should remember some of their own comments from years past, some of them on Guido’s site.
No surprise Mrs May is also making comment to try and damage her biggest so called perceived opposition.
Quite why she and the rest of the cabinet are still trying to sell the Chequers deal to other MP’s and the great British Public is beyond me, especially when the EU still have to approve it, (so it may be subject all to change) is beyond sensible.
Unless of course it was already given the go ahead by the EU behind closed doors, before the Chequers meeting was even held, which makes the duplicity against David Davis work an even greater betrayal of so called loyalty, which she says she values.
Politics as presently being practised by many MP”s is certainly a dirty business
August 8, 2018
It is worse Alan, read Guido, again, with the cabinet leaflet where leave ministers are prepared to publish lies to the public in their name and lie to their supporters and associations in supporting May’s/ Robbins white paper proposing the U.K. to be a vassal state to the EU on goods and subject to ECJ! Are these ministers utter idiots? They ought to know by now that what they say is not true and now knowing it to be not true are still prepared to lie, again!
A death wish gone mad. It would be far better to drop this disaster of a paper after consultation and taking views from your the party etc. etc. No, these idiots are going to plough on. You could not make it up.
Read Peter Hargreaves, spot on the money. His criticisms of the govt are what the majority of sensible, intelligent people think.
Grieve,says if Boris becomes PM he would leave the party. Hurry up and elect Boris!
August 8, 2018
Hope, Well said.
August 8, 2018
Ian,
The BBC again trying to whip up hysteria on every occasion – perhaps they should try much more to report accurately! That stupid woman Mrs May seems unable to resist blurting out a statement at any opportunity – she should have simply said that she had not read the article yet and declined. But then she does not have other important matters to attend to……………..
August 8, 2018
On the WATO the BBC gave much airtime to Dominic Grieve criticising Boris Johnson. Among other things he said he would leave the Conservative party if Johnson became its leader. To my surpise he also talked about image and the threat to democracy itself, comletely ignoring or overlooking the damage done by May’s Brexit deceptions to both her image and to her attempte to undermine and nullify the largest exercise in democracy ever represented by referendum result.
August 8, 2018
I hope that was a promise and not a threat from Grieve.
Another MP completely out of touch with the majority of voters.
Good riddance!
August 8, 2018
That Iran is a rogue state is fairly clear. What is not clear is the extent of their nuclear ambitions, and the nearness they are to achieving them. Their constant interference in other unstable Middle Eastern countries is not in doubt.
The present US regime is not happy with the looseness of the Obama nuclear agreement with Iran. I assume Trump wants it to be tighter and verifiable. He also doubts the sincerity of the EU’s dealings with Iran. They cannot be trusted. So hitting pockets and national income is a Trump way of concentrating minds, both in the EU and Iran. Additionally there is reported disquiet within Iran with the current regime, which the US may see as a route to regime change. My comment is , be careful what you wish for.
Collectively if these measures deliver Iran back to the status of a none belligerent normal trading nation , then much of the poison within Middle East relations will subside. It is all part of Trumps off piste way of achieving a good outcome. As such I wish him well as all previous efforts have ended in abject failure.
August 8, 2018
It feels like Trump is right to me and our govt and the EU are wrong. It is clear that Iran cheated for years in nuclear weapons development, albeit they may be complying with the deal since 2015 (but we can’t be sure as there are some sites which are off limits to inspections). It is also clear that Iran today is a major sponsor of terrorism and subversion throughout the middle east and is developing ballistic missiles. Meanwhile the regime is corrupt socialistic and very oppressive.
August 8, 2018
Meanwhile the contrived outrage against Boris Johnson is absurd. Boris was arguing that the burka should NOT be banned – as it is in a number of European countries. But even making a joke remark about a (words left out ed) form of Muslim dress is so un-PCthat the BBC and others line up to say he must be chucked out of the Conservative Party! They must be worried Boris might actually be a credible potential force for clean Brexit.
August 8, 2018
My goodness you really have to tiptoe around these days – on certain issues- don’t you?! The words I used which have been chopped (no complaints I understand you must control what’s on your blog) have been send regularly by mainstream commentators and politicians.
Reply I do not wish to get diverted by a media row over Boris’s use of language.
August 8, 2018
Used
August 8, 2018
Yes fair enough the whole issue is absurdly overblown and should not be allowed to become a distraction.
August 8, 2018
Not a media row but a full blown political provocation that’s not going to fade away
August 8, 2018
StanleyW, Not a political provocation at all if you read the original. Remain fakery that won’t fade away. Worse luck.
August 8, 2018
The EU owes the US big time in terms of defence of freedom and the EU is pathetic in terms of military spending, especially now that it will be losing GCHQ. It will be losing GCHQ, won’t it ???
August 8, 2018
Anon
“It will be losing GCHQ, won’t it”
Unlikely !
Mrs May sees the EU as her friends, so no doubt they will get access, meanwhile they think we are the enemy, and cannot be trusted.
Deluded or what !.
August 8, 2018
That has nothing to do with EU membership. The EU does not “have” GCHQ so it cannot “lose” it. It is highly likely that the various security services in Europe will continue to cooperate subject to access to infrastructure being facilitated. That can be arranged via clubs (the Anglo-French one) institutions led by the US such as NATO or the so many eyes (going from five to six apparently if the US loses its EU access though the UK), Interpol, etc The list is endless and only partially public.
August 8, 2018
Rein, But can we trust the EU? I don’t think so. It has shown itself to be unreliable and arbitrary. As well as leaky as a sieve. You could always follow the USA’s lead, of course, but your overweening pride prevents it. Iran advertises itself as a destabilising force. Is it really sensible to back unstable Iran, instead of the USA?
August 8, 2018
It appears that only the US is unhappy with the Iran deal, probably for complex reasons. Uk and continental intelligence services are not “under the EU” (I do not think there is a “Brussels” function overseeing members’ intelligence functions, so who would be leaking? although there is a lot of coordianation about terrorism. Except France, all those services are very much dominated by their links to the US and the US uses them too. Completely separate from Brexit, imo.
August 8, 2018
Rien Huizer
With the UK as a member state the EU does ‘have’ GCHQ and could argue that this is part of its contribution to global security.
August 8, 2018
I have not heard or seen anything relating to brexit concerning the EU Navy HQ at Northwood. I wonder how that is going to turn out – abandoned or, more likely, continued as usual?
August 8, 2018
I was wondering about that myself.
August 8, 2018
Do you mean the anti-piracy operation (NAVFOR/Atalanta)? Why should that stop and the HQ be moved elsewhere? Northwood also hosts one of the main NATO commands.
August 9, 2018
“The EU owes the US big time in terms of defence of freedom ”
Ha ha, the US makes many enemies for the UK so profiting from the arms we must buy from them and also pay them for ‘protecting the UK’ – a protection racket or what?
August 9, 2018
Dennis.
You would be surprised at the charity of the USA, most people would if they knew…and with such toleration for the ungrateful. I must say I personally felt hurt as the penny finally dropped. Embarrassed. A wonderful people!
August 8, 2018
The nuclear deal with Iran was always recognised as a bad deal with poor control over Iran nuclear ambitions.
The UK Govt. and the EU should be getting behind Trump to force Iran to accept tighter control. Or the UK should support the US on this issue.
I cannot see that with this EUrophile government.
August 8, 2018
“….was always recognised as a bad deal…”
Why did the USA,UK,Russia,China,Germany and France sign it then?
If the USA didn’t indulge a)in regime change and b)tearing up legal agreements it has already signed ,these unpleasant regimes would not be seeking nuclear weapons capabilities.
August 8, 2018
Mitchel, They signed it out of hope. And they signed because Iran was already seeking nuclear weapons capabilities. Your solution of ignoring the fact that Iran is now not complying is hardly sensible since, effectively, the agreement is already torn up.
August 8, 2018
What we are witnessing is the beginning of the end of U.S. hegemony .
Trump should accept this as inevitable and be trying to accomplish it as safely as possible .
Iran has developed a sophisticated hi-tech sector which is up there with the biggest and best in the World ; U.S. , China , Israel .
Not even the U.S. have the military power to keep the Straits of Hormuz open . Their Navy is optimised for open water , not the shallow waters of the Straits and would be defenceless against missile and torpedo attacks .
Iran are probably frantically trying to buy black market nukes which went missing during the collapse of the Soviet Union .
If Iran leaders decide they have nothing to lose and close the Straits of Hormuz , over a quarter of the approximately 100 million barrels of oil per day the World consumes will be choked off .
Refineries in the U.S. and around the World have been designed to process API 32.5 degree oil . The light tight oil in the U.S. has to be blended with 8 million barrels per day of imported Arab , Venezuelan and Canadian crudes for their refineries to be able to take it .
Credit defaults would occur soon after on a massive scale and create a derivatives storm which would destroy the World financial system .
Retail banking would not be spared because politicians were too gutless to reinstate Glass-Steagall following the 2008 disaster .
Let’s hope that either America backs down or China continues to ignore the threats and buys as much Iranian crude as it can so that Iran is not forced to close the Straits .
August 8, 2018
Iran is a rogue country commited to the destruction of the state of Israel. They aspire to regional power status, are heavily armed and have supported the war criminal and gasser of children, Bashar al-Assad. Currently their large and modern navy is undertaking exercises off the new British naval base in Bahrain and the Straits of Hormuz. They have a non-rational theocratic form of government who desire nuclear weapons and are clearly, a threat to middle east, even world peace.
Personally, I dont think Trump has gone far enough. We are going to have to fight them eventually – better to do it soon, before they get any stronger.
August 8, 2018
As Peter Hitchens would say,off you go then!
August 8, 2018
And who is going to fight them- are you going to join up? You can get a good view from the front line..yourself and comrade Netanyahu fighting for the other rogue state Israel..but be reminded that israel has nuclear weapons too as has India and Portugal so then why all of the fuss about Iran?
August 8, 2018
We couldn’t care less about the EU and Iran. We care only for the health of the Tory party
What we are seeing in these attacks by your vile leader and other vile liberal left, Europhile MPs on BJ is pure lies and slander to destroy and tarnish a Eurosceptic and the next leader of our party
When May and Thornberry are both on the same page launching attacks on Johnson then we can be sure he must be represent a most potent threat
May and Thornberry have both expressed a rejection of the Burka. How dare they now try to conceal that fact. This is your chosen leader John
This is what May is doing to our party. She is a stain on our party, its history and its moral standing
We want her GONE and we want it now
August 8, 2018
Apparently there is a consensus that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was doing its job (also in the US). That job was not to change Iran’s political system or prevent it from being active in the region on the same footing as other states (Saudi in Yemen for instance), But it was not to Israel’s liking and Iranian support for Shiite movements in ao Syria has driven Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States to lobby for reinstatement of the sort of sanctions that the US had before the JCPoA was signed (it was never ratified by the US Congress) and were suspendeas a consequenced. Trump’s executive order was within his powers. This will basically mean that Russia and China get an even greater share of the Iranian market and the the Gulf state of Dubai continues to play both sides.
I have no idea what the EU actually decided to do and how it is designed to work. It will not hurt Hezbollah and the Shia-Sunni civil wars in Syria and Iraq have already been won by the Shiites. Time for a fresh round of talks I guess and probably Russia will nudge Iran to give Mr Trump what he needs for Bibi( and maybe a pledge not to arm Hezbollah even better and/or drop assistance to the Houthis to please the Saudis) , another triumphant reality performance, like with the honourable mr Kim.
August 8, 2018
Well it seems Iran has used the lifting of sanctions to progress it’s ballistic missile programme and to forment terrorism in the middle east particularly Syria. Iranian leaders still call regularly for the destruction of Israel, a democratic state and a friend and ally of the UK.
August 8, 2018
But those things are not part of the Plan of Action. Besides, that ballistic missile program is not particularly sophisticated, way behind Israel, Russia and even good old DPRK. Ik Mr Musk can launch rockets commercially with off the shelf technology, rockets are not the bottleneck. Targeting and complicating them is another matter. . If Israel is afraid of Iran’s missiles one would have to doubt their ABM capabilities! The reason is probably more for Israeli and US domestic consumption. Netanyahu is in deep trouble over his financial dealings and Trump needs international conflict. Remember that Reagan invaded Grenada once?
You may have noticed that the UK is against Trump’s policy and supports whatever the EU is doing here (silly as that may look).
August 8, 2018
‘Iran…fomenting terrorism in the ME, particularly Syria…’…. I think that you will find that it is other countries who have been giving succour to the disgusting, inhuman ISIS terrorists in Syria. Do I need to tell you who….perhaps who has been treating wounded ISIS terrorists ? In their hospitals and apparently ISIS has not attacked this country despite its proximity to Syria?
zorro
August 8, 2018
Russia has already announced a $50bn investment package for the Iranian energy sector,taking advantage of departing western companies.Russia,China,Turkey and, I believe, India have already said they will not observe the sanctions.
August 8, 2018
“Russia,China,Turkey and, I believe, India ave already said they will not observe the sanctions.”
Well! Knock me down and call me Honey!
August 9, 2018
Sure thing,Honey!
August 8, 2018
Rien, Yes, the Saudis are in the Yemen, but so is Iran. And others too.
August 8, 2018
I cannot understand anyone siding with Iran over the USA. It is just because it is Trump – had it been Saint Obama (although he would never knowingly have done anything useful) all would be cheering. Iran is a foul authoritarian regime that wants to blow Israel off the map and this is the main reason it wants nuclear weapons and to start a war with Saudi Arabia. The Middle East would go up in flames if that was allowed to happen, so Trump is right to insist Iran is not allowed any where near nuclear weapons.
Anyway, whatever the pipsqueaks of the EU say, business will do what is best for its own good. The EU have no way of enforcing their crazy plan and will just end up making themselves look silly again. They desperately want to be a super power like the USA but never will be.
August 8, 2018
A question, Mr Redwood.
Would Norway have to comply with any EU ruling on sanctions?
August 8, 2018
Norway is not in any kind of customs union with the EU and therefore it is not obliged to follow EU trade policy. But of course if it chose to adopt a policy directly to some aspect of EU policy then the EU could seek other ways to punish it. Moreover this is also why copying Norway would not solve the ‘problem’ of the Irish border.
August 8, 2018
The apparent agreement between the US and the EU on reducing car tariffs is yet another reason for ignoring the hype about a WTO Brexit. Car tariffs between the UK/EU are often cited as being a potential major problem post March 2019. If Trump and Junket are agreed on gradually reducing them we have little to fear, particularly given that although the numbers of vehicles imported from/exported to the EU are quite closely aligned, imports are of high(over?)-priced vehicles and ours of lesser value.
August 8, 2018
Aside from the justice or otherwise of anyone placing sanctions on Iran…..Aside from the USA role……
We are hearing more and more entanglements the UK has with the EU.
Even Brexiteers did not underline circumstances when EU economic and military policy could be at loggerheads with the US.
While we slept, whether we are for sanctions or not, the EU has become a strong determinant of our national Will.
We already knew the USA, due to its overwhelming power, and historic practical and massive defence of us for which we are forever grateful. BUT did we ever really dream we would be stuck in a web of intrigue by the EU which cannot even, historically, guarantee its own internal coherence as its nation-states for centuries and certainly since 1939 began such a hate one with another costing us so many of our soldiers, sailors and airman and yes to mention our innocent civilians?
We have forgiven the US tax evasion in its War of Independence against Britain. I guess they’ve nearly …paid it all back. 🙂
August 8, 2018
Surely the WTO and UN is there to sort out these trade sanction problems- but we know that none of this is as it should be- so we see the only thing working these days is bully boy tactics- it seems- doesn’t look great for our future hopes for trading by WTO rules .
Consider this then- my thinking- Mr Netanyahu from Israel has Mr Trump and the American administration by the balls, and for whatever reason..something to do with his visit to Russia some years ago.. and we know it has been Netanyahu’s intention to destroy Iran as a power in the Middle East if at all possible and at any cost for a long time now, but Trump is only the puppet in all of this- simple fool that he is- and is being played by the master puppeteer John Bolton US security advisor and others from various US and International lobbies. It is Bolton’s aim to bring about regime change in Iran which will also suit Saudi Arabia..because of money money money and oil oil oil.. what is going on has the stamp of greed all over it and in the meantime half trained half witted Saudi pilots are raining down bombs indiscriminately on the poorest people of Yemen..very strange how some of your contributors can think there is nothing wrong with any of this and want to back the US in anything or would even trust them to do a trade deal with into the future.
Let’s be clear Trumps America is so out of step with the rest of the world on so many fronts at this time that it is difficult to see how we are going to survive the next two years until administration change without a major world conflict..so we should be very careful about who we back in all of this..remember there were many countries in Europe that backed the wrong side in the 1930’s that now wish they hadn’t.
We see as well Boris is also at it a la Steve Bannon style the master of chaos- by putting out gutter insults at a vulnerable section in our society- looks like he is also clutching at straws or anything he can to bring about his own regime change and some also think that this behavior is OK as well..makes you wonder
August 8, 2018
Iran has had gunboats running fast towards US battleships in the straights many times over the last few years, including in the last few weeks. The US navy has been remarkably tolerant of these abuses of international waters. It won’t take much for warning shots to become targeted at the gunboats directly.
August 8, 2018
The US has phased out battleships aquite some time ago (a few were refurbished in the 1980, mainly for show, but those are gone now too) . Iguess these gunboats must be cruising up the East River or the Chesapeake.
August 8, 2018
You know very well I mean aircraft carriers etc.
Indeed the navy and sailors have put some of these encounters on YouTube.
August 9, 2018
Some of the U.S. Battleships built during WWII participated in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 .
August 9, 2018
better than that USS Missouri hosted the famous Cher video shoot about 89
August 8, 2018
“Bringing a case where a company simply decides against doing business in Iran could be difficult if the member states do put in place the necessary legal enforcement”
JR – I assume you meant to write ‘if the member states do not put in place’ etc ?
Reply No, I meant what I wrote
August 8, 2018
Reply to reply – Many thanks!
August 8, 2018
Iran is not test-firing intercontinental ballistic missiles without envisaging it could put a nuclear or biological warhead on them in future.
A deterrent. Yeee-es. But Iran is not stable. Only three wheels on its wagon…it keeps travelling along into its neighbours countries
August 8, 2018
So does everyone in that neighborhood: Tukry in Syria, Saudi in Yemen and last but not least, lots of Western countries still flying over regions of Syria and Iraq. Why not worry about equally unstable Pakistan. They have both the ballsitic missiles and the nukes. Incidentally, putting bio or chemical payloads on a missile and make that militarily useful is pretty complicated.
August 8, 2018
I notice the EU chooses to side with the bad guys of Iran.
Another good reason for disassociating ourselves from the EU.
August 8, 2018
Mrs May does not respect our enemies.
One may recall hearing “……………….but, Rommel was a great General” The EU does not respect its enemies and friends and worse is blinded by the former.
Iran (Persia ) started its Empire just before Tea of the start of the British Empire.
The spirit of its people, irrespective of type of governance, remembers. It will always be a threat to all around and anyone who stands in its way. We are in its way.
August 8, 2018
ON A COMPLETELY UNRELATED MATTER
Dominic Grieve MP should be expelled from the Conservative Party forthwith.
The fact that he’s been voting with Corbyn to undermine the Brexit negotiations is one thing.
We all accept, that with the exception of votes of confidence, MPs are free to vote as their conscience dictates, without being sanctioned by the party.
Grieve however has just announced that if Boris Johnson is ever elected party leader he will leave the party.
Statements like that are not acceptable conduct for a Member of Parliament of any party.
If you are in a party you have to have to accept the Leader that the party elects. Parties do not accept or tolerate people as members conditional upon the party doing as that member dictates.
Dominic Grieve cannot be trusted to stand as a Conservative Party candidate.
August 8, 2018
If he leaves the Party make sure he hands in his passport.
August 8, 2018
Dominic Grieve is my MP. I have never voted Conservative before I would vote for him. Along with a handful of others he could, and I hope would, collapse this nasty government rather than see the extremists take over.
August 9, 2018
Your support for Dominic Grieve signifies his defectiveness.
August 8, 2018
Anna Soubry, at least, of prominent remoaners, if she is not voted out of office (probable) shows courage.
Very soon, all of the media and turncoat fellow-traveller MPs are going to quote much of her speeches, interventions, with such ridicule that she will hardly be able to raise her head.
August 8, 2018
Ron, no loss there then. Boris over Grieve anytime.
August 8, 2018
Dominic and a few others like Soubry would be much more at home in the Lib Dems.
August 8, 2018
Just think if, instead of wasting ÂŁ50 billion on the absurd HS2, we invested a lot more money into wind and tidal power and into storing that energy. For the armchair experts among you who say it’s too expensive etc. – well, wind provided 18% of our power last year and, for my money, it should be 50% – with the rest coming from a new generation of small nuclear power stations.
Say, goodbye to oil and gas and coal and wood chips. Be self sufficient in energy and not beholden to anyone. Who, then, would give a toss about the Middle East?
August 8, 2018
Sadly, that is not quite true. We would have to blight our entire country and not build all the houses for our guests to get 50% of our electric and they would still leave us with blackouts in summer and winter. I agree about HS2, but the only actual solution would be to build a couple of dozen Gas powered stations and build an incinerator for every district to provide electricity and waste heat from burning rubbish. Your 18% figure was probably on one day when everyone was sunbathing. The normal figure is about 8% per day so I can’t imagine an annual figure of 18%. Tidal power is yet another rent seeking technically inept white elephant. I’m always amazed that the eco contingent want to ruin our coastline for little benefit and all the damage, especially when we flooded Somerset for a newt.
August 9, 2018
Mike ,
By “power” I take it you mean electricity .
Even if it was 50% of electricity generation would only amount to 1/6th of UK primary energy consumption
Fuel based solutions for transportation , domestic heating and industrial process heating make up the other 2/3rds of the U.K.’s primary energy usage .
Let’s not forget that additional fuel will also be needed to construct renewable energy infrastructure .
This is because renewables typically have too low energy density to provide surplus energy to build more renewable infrastructure at anything like the rate desired .
I agree with you that the U.K. needs to get off oil and gas ASAP – finite resources which are going to move much higher up the price curve due to production decline of depleting existing high quality fields .
Furthermore there are much higher value uses of oil and gas then burning them .
For example fermenting methane into single cell proteins for compound animal feed which has much lower water and land usage than growing GM soy and effect on ocean of using fishmeal .
August 8, 2018
Remember the episodes?
“The Economy will collapse the day after a Leave vote?” Then
“Well, it will collapse in a matter of weeks”
” It will definitely collapse before Christmas ~Blair I believe (2016 )
“Well, it will certainly collapse in the first few weeks of January”~ Keir Starmer (post Christmas 2016-)
“It will collapse at the start of the new tax year”-March 2017
” It will collapse when holiday makers in summer cannot afford to go abroad ” May 2017
” It cannot last much longer it is under so much stress
Etc Etc
Etc
Etc
Today’s Remoaner forecast
“Well, we won’t get poorer after Brexit BUT we will be poorer than we would have been if we hadn’t”
Remoaners have been routed and now pleading for mercy!!!!!
hahahaha.
August 8, 2018
Theresa May is destroying the moral foundation of the Conservative Party. She is dragging the party through the liberal left gutter.
While Dominic Grieve is well, an unadulterated stain on British democracy and an offence to the integrity of the British people.
Our party will split if May isn’t deposed.
August 8, 2018
It is false that it is better for the UK to be part of the EU’s large Customs Union than on its own.
Firstly because it is far more difficult to make trade deals as part of a large group of individual nations (28 in the case of the EU and soon to be 34) all of whom need to be satisfied and all of whom have completely differing economies and hence ideas for what they want and don’t want in any trade deal.
Secondly because it is most likely that any EU negotiated trade deal would be of more benefit to Germany (cars) and France and Italy (agricultural products) than the UK (services).
Thirdly, because if we are smaller and on our own we are less likely to get involved in trade spats, or affected by disagreements caused by, for instance, the German diesel emissions testing fraud.
However, Mrs. May is likely to side strongly with the EU even whilst saying we are leaving the CU.
August 8, 2018
@ Mike Wilson
Re: ‘Say, goodbye to oil and gas and coal and wood chips. Be self sufficient in energy and not beholden to anyone. Who, then, would give a toss about the Middle East?’
While I don’t agree with over priced green energy I do agree we should be doing our best to become self sufficient, the more self sufficient we are the more we control our own future.