US sanctions aimed at reducing Iranian influence in Middle East: ex-aide to FM

Former legal adviser to Pakistan’s foreign minister Sikandar Ahmed Shah, Professor of International Law at Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS), has said that recent sanctions against Iran are politically motivated and aimed at against its increasing influence in the Middle East.

“We all know that sanctions are highly political in nature, it is not about Iran’s compliance to the nuclear agreement but it is about US perceived Iranian involvement in the Middle East which they feel is increasing or the countries in region are coming under Iran’s influence including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen,” he said.
The expert added some of these countries have economic and strategic significance, like Yemen which if comes under the Iranian control the Strait of Hormuz and strait in the Red Sea would come under effective Iranian control and that can have a direct impact on oil exports of the Middle Eastern countries and oil prices.
Sikandar Ahmed Shah expressing his views said that the Zionist regime is also forcing the US to realign its foreign policy vis-à-vis Iran. He said the US also has the new strategy under Trump to pressurize other countries to revise their foreign policies.
“Trump has very harsh outlook towards many Muslim countries like Iran and Pakistan and the expectation is that they would buckle under the pressure,” he said.
The columnist went on to say that European powers, China and Russia who are party to Iran nuclear deal are not agreeing with the US sanctions and they believe that Iran is effectively complying with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Sikandar Ahmed Shah viewed that the US is attempting to have zero tolerance policy towards purchase of the Iranian oil but has granted waivers to eight countries. He added that European countries have tried to come up with an alternative payment plan which is very important.
The analyst said that the US knows if it sanctions all of Iran’s oil then it could not only affect the oil prices but the countries which need the energy like China and India might react strongly and flaunt the sanctions and trade more with Iran.
“Iranians say they have gone through this kind of situation in past and will again fight this challenge,” he said.
The professor said that if other countries continue to trade with Iran and sanctions are not able to have their effect, then the US would be forced to re-evaluate its strategy which would make Iran stronger.