Tehran, Iran, February 4
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
Ending sanctions on Iran would benefit both the United States and Iran, former MP Jalal Jalalizadeh told Trend February 4.
The recent sanctions are not deemed to be of much effect, firstly, because Iran has been under sanctions for so long and secondly, because of the people’s resistance, Dr. Jalalizadeh said.
The US has imposed fresh sanctions on Iran as President Donald Trump shows to have been infuriated by Tehran’s missile program after warning the Islamic Republic that it is “playing with fire.”
In a statement made on February 3, the Treasury Department published a list of 13 individuals and 12 entities facing new restrictions. The entities include companies based in Tehran, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China.
The sanctions will hurt American companies because Iran could be seen as a good market for American-made products and also a good trade hub in the region, Jalalizadeh said.
The Trump administration has taken a hard line on Iran, banning its citizens from entering the US and accusing the nation of interfering in the affairs of US allies in the Middle East. Such an approach could satisfy hawks in Washington who were never comfortable with President Barack Obama’s tentative rapprochement with Iran.
Tensions between the two sides were already escalating before the missile tests. The missile tests didn’t contravene the nuclear accord signed in 2015 with six countries including the US and Russia.