EU bid to ease Iran sanctions

America yesterday dismissed the European Union’s attempt to minimise the impact of its Iran sanctions as the first phase of penalties kicked in, three months after Donald Trump’s withdrawal from a nuclear deal.

A senior US administration official said a move by Brussels, with the support of Britain, to impose a ‘‘blocking statute’’ protecting European businesses trading with Iran was ‘‘not something that we’re particularly concerned by’’.

The comment came just hours after Jeremy Hunt, the UK Foreign Secretary, issued a joint statement with the foreign ministers of Germany, France and the EU expressing ‘‘deep regret’’ at the reimposing of sanctions.

Officials said the target would be for ‘‘zero’’ oil to be sold by Iran and said the US would enforce its sanctions regime ‘‘aggressively’’.

Trump said: ‘‘We urge all nations to take such steps to make clear that the Iranian regime faces a choice: Either change its threatening, destabilising behaviour and reintegrate with the global economy, or continue down a path of economic isolation.’’

The president also warned: ‘‘Individuals or entities that fail to wind down activities with Iran risk severe consequences.’’

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known as the Iran nuclear deal, was brokered by Barack Obama in July 2015 and agreed to waive economic sanctions in turn for Iran curbing its nuclear programme.

But in May, Trump announced America would withdraw from the deal, citing fears Iran was using it as cover to destabilise the Middle East and build up its ballistic missile programme while enjoying the economic benefits of the agreement.

Yesterday, the first wave of sanctions that Obama had waived were reimposed by Trump, targeting trade with Iran on cars, precious metals, commercial planes, carpets and food.

A second wave of sanctions will ‘‘snap back’’ in early November, hitting oil exports – a key source of revenue for Tehran. Signatories to the deal have attempted to keep it alive by ensuring trade continues with Iran and yesterday Hunt issued a statement with Jean-Yves Le Drian of France, Heiko Maas of Germany and Federica Mogherini of the EU.

‘‘We deeply regret the reimposition of sanctions,’’ the ministers said, adding that they were ‘‘determined to protect European economic operators engaged in legitimate business with Iran’’.

The statement said that the EU’s so-called blocking statute, designed to protect European companies from the impact of US sanctions to encourage them to keep trading with Iran, would take effect today.

One senior US administration official responded: ‘‘Companies and financial institutions . . . have a deep appreciation for what is going on in Iran, the fact that it is very difficult and complicated to know who you’re doing business with. This is not something that we’re particularly concerned by.’’

Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, said the US had launched ‘‘psychological warfare’’ aimed at creating divisions among the Iranian people but that Tehran was still willing to hold talks with if Washington proved its ‘‘honesty’’. - Telegraph Group

‘‘We deeply regret the re-imposition of sanctions . . . and are determined to protect European economic operators engaged in legitimate business with Iran’’. EU statement