Europe Will Fail In Keeping The Iran Nuclear Deal Alive

President Trump addresses the media May 8 at the White House after announcing his intention to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran. National security adviser John Bolton and Vice President Mike Pence are in the background. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

James Kitfield, Yahoo News: Europe will try to keep the Iran deal alive. It can't.

When national security adviser John Bolton stood before the White House press corps on Tuesday detailing President Trump’s decision to walk away from the multilateral nuclear agreement to constrain Iran’s nuclear program, it reminded some observers of events 15 years ago, when Bolton was a cheerleader in the Bush administration for the invasion of Iraq, intended to dismantle Saddam Hussein’s stockpile of weapons of mass destruction — which turned out not to exist.

While technically the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the agreement among Iran, the United States and five other major powers, can remain in effect even after Washington pulls out, Bolton’s history suggests that the administration may have a more ambitious goal to implode the agreement altogether. The sanctions Trump is reimposing aren’t just on Iran but on other entities that do business there, such as banks.

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WNU Editor: These type of sanctions .... targeting companies that do business with Iran .... are incredibly effective. No reputable business/conglomerate/bank is going to risk its business model and relationship with the U.S. for a few trade deals with Iran. No one. And the Europeans are not going to get into a tit-for-tat situation with the U.S. should the U.S. start punishing European companies that are doing business with Iran. The Iranians are not worth that type of "heat". Who may end up doing business with Iran are Russian and Chinese shell companies .... but they are not going to be cheap. Bottom line .... I for one will not be surprised if by next year the Europeans have negotiated a compromise with the Iranians that will be acceptable to the Trump administration. But at this moment in time .... if you have a business in Iran, the time to leave is now.

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