IRAN
Iranian war ships this week moved out into the Atlantic Ocean. While unconfirmed, they appear heading toward the US. The State Department spokesman, Ned Price, says Washington supports their freedom of navigation, but it is watching if they seek to effect the transfer of weapons or other illicit materials. His added that the US is “prepared to leverage our applicable authorities, including sanctions, against any actor that enable’s Iran’s ongoing provision of weapons to violent partners and to proxies. This is a concern that we’ve talked about broadly in the context of Iran, even as we work with our allies and partners in the P5+1 context, to attempt to put Iran’s nuclear program back in a box.”
Price stated the US is prepared to hold Iran accountable and that “…before that were to take place, we are prepared to do what we can do attempt to eliminate such activity.” Price chose to use the word “attempt” to describe the US response. Also on Thursday, the Treasury Department simultaneously removed the names of the managing director of the National Iranian Oil Corporation and managing director of one of its subsidiaries from the Iranian sanctions list. During a press briefing on Thursday, Price was combative with reporters trying to find out why the US is lifting sanctions on individuals involved in the Iranian energy sector. In responding to media inquiries Price defended the Administration’s position stating that “…there is no linkage, there is no connection to the delistings that we announced today to the JCPOA or to negotiations that are ongoing in Vienna.” Price pointed out that it was the Secretary of State who released a statement saying that we’re “lifting sanctions on three former Government of Iran officials and two companies previously involved in the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of Iranian petrochemical products….” Referring to the US working with other countries to contain Iran, Price said “That’s why we’ve been working in lockstep with our European allies and other partners in the context of the P5+1 – Russia and China….” It appears Washington now views Russia and China as partners in this challenge – in “lockstep.”
RUSSIA
A few days ago the United States issued a waiver not to sanction the Nord Stream company and its CEO Matthias Warnig. It appears the German Government sees this as a sign that Washington has accepted that the Russian pipeline can be finished and that its construction will not incur further sanction. Price told reporters the US position has not changed despite the issuance of a waiver. He noted that the Biden Administration is “…opposed to the pipeline, that we view it as a Russian geopolitical project, a project that threatens European energy security, and in fact, that undermines the security of some of our close partners, including Ukraine and other countries on NATO’s eastern flank.” Price could not explain why the waiver was not sending a signal to Moscow to proceed. He suggested the US instead will rely on diplomacy to make sure Russia behaves well in its use.
HUMANITARIAN AID
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NICARAGUA
At a Tuesday media briefing, State Department Spokesman New Price said the United States is calling on “President Daniel Ortega and the Nicaraguan government to immediately release presidential candidates Cristiana Chamorro, Arturo Cruz, Felix Maradiaga, and Juan Sebastian Chamorro, as well as other civil society and opposition leaders who have been arrested over the past week in an increasing wave of repression.”
DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government. Each Saturday, she presents key updates on U.S. foreign policy from the State Department.
Illustration: Pixabay