U.S. Wants Sanctions on Iran

[Being]

That appears to be nothing but rhetoric.

Instead the U.S. Enriches Companies Defying Its Policy on Iran.

The government can, and does, bar American companies from most types of trade with Iran, under a broad embargo that has been in place since the 1990s. But as The Times’s analysis illustrates, multiple administrations have struggled diplomatically, politically and practically to exert American authority over companies outside the embargo’s reach — foreign companies and the foreign subsidiaries of American ones.

Indeed, of the 74 companies The Times identified as doing business with both the United States government and Iran, 49 continue to do business there with no announced plans to leave.

One of the government’s most powerful tools, at least on paper, to influence the behavior of companies beyond the jurisdiction of the embargo is the Iran Sanctions Act, devised to punish foreign companies that invest more than $20 million in a given year to develop Iran’s oil and gas fields. But in the 14 years since the law was passed, the government has never enforced it, in part for fear of angering America’s allies.

Sending a strong message was Congress’s intention when it passed the Iran Sanctions Act in 1996.

The law gives the president a menu of possible punishments that he can choose to levy against offending companies. Not only do they risk losing federal contracts, but they can also be prevented from receiving Export-Import Bank loans, obtaining American bank loans exceeding $10 million in a given year, exporting their goods to the United States, purchasing licensed American military technology and, in the case of financial firms, serving as a primary dealer in United States government bonds or as a repository for government funds.

William A. Reinsch, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, lobbied against Mr. Dorgan’s bill and has opposed other unilateral sanctions. He argues that their futility can be seen in the intransigence of the Iranian government and the way American oil companies have simply been replaced by foreign competitors. Moreover, many foreign companies with business interests in Iran are also large American employers; deny them federal contracts and other benefits, Mr. Reinsch said, “and it’s those workers who will pay the price.”
But Hans Sandberg, senior vice president of Atlas Copco, which is based in Sweden, offered a different perspective. Atlas Copco’s sales of mining and construction equipment to Iran are dwarfed by its American business, including military contracts. If forced to choose, he said: “It would be no problem. We wouldn’t trade with Iran.”

The tools are in place but remain unused. So what's with all the huffy-puffy tough talk?

[Hazir]

Well, I guess it all boils down to other countries denying the claim to universality of the US and they have the means to hit back if the US doesn't keep its fingers off their trade.

[Dreadnaught]

It's pretty sad when the government can't actually enforce something pretty basic like this. Though I imagine this is more of an auditing issue -- no on in government has the mandate (or energy) to specifically look into this and enforce it, so it doesn't really happen.

Either that or the Times hired some experts who don't know what they are talking about (happens).

[Hazir]

It's pretty sad when the government can't actually enforce something pretty basic like this. Though I imagine this is more of an auditing issue -- no on in government has the mandate (or energy) to specifically look into this and enforce it, so it doesn't really happen.

Either that or the Times hired some experts who don't know what they are talking about (happens).

Enforce American law in Europe? I don't see that happening.

[Being]

Enforce American law in Europe? I don't see that happening.

It's about laws agains't federal U.S. dollars going to companies that use their subsidiary status to get around U.S. sanctions on Iran not just foreign companies that won't cooperate. Many of the companies are wholly held by U.S. corporations. Some are global conglomerates. Either way they can all be held accountable by enforcing the Iran Sanctions Act . It's not like telling a company they can't do that. It's punnishing them when they do. See my second quote above. Or better yet, read the article.

[agamemnus]

Write your Senator.

[Being]

Write your Senator.

The legislature already did its job. It's up to the executive branch to enforce the legislation.