Media: U.S. Threatens to Impose Secondary Sanctions on Banks in UAE, Oman, and China Engaging in Business with Iran
¬ Former U.S. Diplomat: Talks in Islamabad Indicate Iran Will Not Yield to U.S. Pressure
¬ U.S. State Department: U.S. Commits Aid for Lebanon's Reconstruction Following Peace Agreement with Israel
+
Fox Business News reports that the U.S. Treasury has issued warnings to several banks in Oman, the UAE, and China, threatening secondary sanctions if these institutions continue working with Iran amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
According to Fox Business News, a senior official from the Trump administration, speaking anonymously, stated this is merely the first step in imposing secondary sanctions on financial institutions. If these banks fail to respond, they face the risk of being completely isolated from the U.S. financial system.
+
Chas Freeman, a retired U.S. diplomat and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, told Sputnik News that the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad indicate Tehran has no intention of yielding to Washington’s pressure and will not comply with American demands simply to end the conflict.
Freeman noted that the U.S. delegation approached the talks based on a flawed assumption—that the side causing the greatest damage to its opponent will be the victor in this conflict.
“The failure of the Islamabad negotiations was inevitable… Despite the U.S. team’s extensive political connections, they lacked the necessary knowledge and experience. In contrast, the Iranian delegation consisted of seasoned diplomats and technical experts,” Freeman said.
Iran and the United States began negotiations in Islamabad on April 11. On April 12, Vice President Vance, leading the U.S. delegation, announced that no agreement had been reached. On April 13, President Trump declared that the U.S. would impose a blockade on all vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports starting at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on the 13th.
According to Reuters, U.S. and Iranian representatives plan to return to Islamabad this week for another round of negotiations.
+
Following trilateral talks between the U.S., Israel, and Lebanon, the U.S. State Department stated that the parties have agreed to initiate direct negotiations.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said that the successful conclusion of talks between Lebanon and Israel, mediated by the U.S., will help unlock substantial aid for Lebanon’s reconstruction and expand investment opportunities between the two nations.
Previously, a trilateral meeting involving Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors, hosted by the U.S. State Department and facilitated by American mediation, took place. The goal of the talks was to reach a ceasefire agreement against the backdrop of escalating tensions around Iran.
Source: sputniknews
Original: toutiao.com/article/1862483569672203/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author