Trump regime escalates economic terrorism on Iran

US war on Iran by other means is all about its refusal to subordinate its sovereignty to US interests, opposition to its imperial agenda, support for Palestinian rights, and Washington’s aim to control its vast hydrocarbon resources.

News ID: 448011

Date: 15 December 2019 - 11:21

RNA - America’s 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) lets presidents claim unusual and/or extraordinary foreign threats (invented or real), declare a national emergency, and regulate commerce accordingly.

Presidents have taken full advantage deceptively, unjustifiably, and illegally.

Straightaway after its 1979 revolution, the US seized billions of dollars of Iranian bank deposits, gold, and other properties, including amounts held in overseas branches of US banks.

A full trade embargo followed. For decades, Washington ruthlessly targeted Iran and its people, things greatly escalated by Trump regime economic terrorism.

The General Assembly’s 1974 Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States says no nation may use or encourage use of economic, political or other measures to coerce another country to subordinate its sovereign rights in any way.

UN General Assembly Resolution 44/215 (1989) prohibits political and economic coercion against developing countries.

It specifically covers trade and financial restrictions, blockades, embargoes, and other economic sanctions.

It calls them incompatible with UN Charter provisions. They adversely affect the ability of nations to function politically, economically and socially. They harm civilians most.

Security Council members alone may legally impose sanctions on nations, entities or individuals — not individual countries on others.

Article 41 of the UN Charter states that the Security Council is empowered to decide what actions may be used to enforce international law — including “complete or partial interruption of economic relations and…severance of diplomatic relations,” other than use of military force.

When unilaterally imposed by one nation on others, sanctions have no legal validity. Countries complying with them are complicit in wrongdoing.

The US weaponizes sanctions to wage war by other means on nations unwilling to bend to its will. Virtually always they’re unjustifiably justified by Big Lies and deception.

On Wednesday, the Trump regime’s Treasury Department imposed new illegal sanctions on Iran. Mahan Air and Iran’s shipping industry were targeted.

A Treasury Department statement falsely said Tehran “uses its aviation and shipping industries to supply its regional terrorist and militant groups with weapons (sic), directly contributing to the devastating humanitarian crises in Syria and Yemen (sic),” adding:

“US persons will be prohibited from engaging in transactions involving Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) or E-Sail, including transactions for the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices.”

“(N)on-US persons that knowingly engage in certain transactions with IRISL or E-Sail, even for the sale to Iran of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices, risk exposure to sanctions under additional sanctions.”

Fact: US sanctions on Iran constitute economic terrorism, war by other means, a high crime against humanity.

Fact: Nonbelligerent Iran threatens no other nations. The US and its imperial allies threaten humanity.

Fact: Iran is actively involved in combating regional terrorism, not supporting or waging it.

Years of US aggression, blockade, illegal sanctions, and Pentagon-orchestrated Saudi terror-bombing since 2015 are what high crimes of state terrorism against Yemen and it long-suffering people are all about.

The same goes for US aggression in Syria and other war theaters, part of bipartisan support in Washington for permanent wars on humanity.

US war on Iran by other means is all about wanting to crush its economy, isolate the country, immiserate its people, and starve them into submission — a strategy aiming to transform the Islamic Republic into a US vassal state and eliminate Israel’s main regional rival.

Trump hardliners don’t seek negotiations with Tehran as envoy for regime change in the country Brian Hook falsely claimed.

US strategy is all about seeking unconditional Iranian surrender to its demands, its sovereign independence eliminated.

A recent University of Maryland Center for International and Security Studies report explained that 86% of Iranians despise the US — based IranPolls data.

Pompeo earlier said Tehran must bend to US demands “if they want their people to eat.”

On Friday, he falsely accused Iranian-backed elements for December 9 and 11 rocket attacks near Baghdad International Airport, saying:

“Any attacks by (Iran) or (its) proxies of any identity that harm Americans, our allies, or our interests will be answered with a decisive US response,” adding:

“Iran’s proxies have recently conducted several attacks against bases where Iraqi security forces are co-located with US and international coalition personnel (sic).”

Separately, US war secretary Mark Esper warned Iran of “decisive military force should our forces or interests be attacked.”

Since around mid-year, the Pentagon deployed around 14,000 more troops to the Middle East, falsely claiming it’s to deter Iranian malign actions that don’t exist.

US rage for unchallenged dominance over the oil and gas rich Middle East risks greater regional war(s) than already by accident or design.

By Stephen Lendman/Press TV

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