Peter Jenkins, former UK Permanent Representative to the IAEA tells Iran Review:
"U.S. officials would probably deny that the United States is failing to deliver on its part of the JCPOA bargain. They would say that they have made clear to European banks that they have nothing to fear provided they steer clear of Iranian individuals and entities that are specified on U.S. sanctions lists. They would argue that the way forward is for European banks to engage lawyers who can advise them on the intricate detail of U.S. sanctions provisions, and to perform due diligence to the utmost degree before doing business with Iranian counterparts.
The problem with this guidance is that it implies significant costs for European banks without eliminating the risk that a European bank may inadvertently transgress and become liable to huge American fines – billions of dollars. It is understandable that European banks have been inhibited by that risk."
This interview can be found on the foreign policy blog LobeLog.
Furthermore, polling by IranPoll(dot)com for the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland indicates the displeasure that is rising in Iran as a result of the lack of economic improvements from sanctions being lifted, among other things. LobeLog has an article discussing some of the difficulties remaining sanctions are putting on investments and banking.
I suspect Capt. Johnson's description of events is only partially true. A minority of agitators may not be able to whip up the crowd to commit additional violence, but by the minority committing violence against the police who are predisposed in this case to violence, the police create the additional violence which the crowd might tend to resist.
Peter Jenkins, former UK Permanent Representative to the IAEA tells Iran Review:
"U.S. officials would probably deny that the United States is failing to deliver on its part of the JCPOA bargain. They would say that they have made clear to European banks that they have nothing to fear provided they steer clear of Iranian individuals and entities that are specified on U.S. sanctions lists. They would argue that the way forward is for European banks to engage lawyers who can advise them on the intricate detail of U.S. sanctions provisions, and to perform due diligence to the utmost degree before doing business with Iranian counterparts.
The problem with this guidance is that it implies significant costs for European banks without eliminating the risk that a European bank may inadvertently transgress and become liable to huge American fines – billions of dollars. It is understandable that European banks have been inhibited by that risk."
This interview can be found on the foreign policy blog LobeLog.
Furthermore, polling by IranPoll(dot)com for the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland indicates the displeasure that is rising in Iran as a result of the lack of economic improvements from sanctions being lifted, among other things. LobeLog has an article discussing some of the difficulties remaining sanctions are putting on investments and banking.
I suspect Capt. Johnson's description of events is only partially true. A minority of agitators may not be able to whip up the crowd to commit additional violence, but by the minority committing violence against the police who are predisposed in this case to violence, the police create the additional violence which the crowd might tend to resist.