U.S. lifts sanctions; Iran comes in from the cold

Primary sanctions that bar U.S citizens and companies from business with Iran will remain.

The United States on Saturday removed a wide range of sanctions against Iran after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Tehran has met its commitments to roll back its nuclear programme, under an agreement with China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the U.S and Germany on July 14, 2015.

Minutes after Secretary of State John Kerry, after a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, announced in Vienna that the deal has come into force, a White House official described the development as “historic” and an “inflection point in Iran’s relations with the world since concerns developed about the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.”

Entire world is safer: Kerry

“Today... the United States, our friends and allies in the Middle East, and the entire world are safer because the threat of the nuclear weapon has been reduced,” Mr. Kerry said.

The U.S has only removed secondary sanctions that restrict the dealings of other countries with Iran. Primary sanctions that bar U.S citizens and companies from business with Iran will remain.

Iran stands to benefit immensely

However, the removal of restrictions on its oil, petrochemicals, banking, natural gas and port sectors will hugely benefit Iran and allow it to reenter the global market. As an instant relief, Iran will be able to access the huge amount of cash it has accumulated overseas from restricted oil sales during the sanctions.

Most of this money is sitting in China, India, Japan, South Korea and Turkey.

$100-150 billion for Iran

Commentators have estimated a windfall of $100-150 billion for Iran, but a U.S treasury official, briefing on condition of anonymity said the removal of sanctions will unlock only an estimated $50 billion. “Iran is likely to continue to keep it abroad to keep its own currency stable,” the official said.

Chabahar port, IPI gas pipeline

The removal of sanctions will tremendously help India’s plans in Iran, which are many and include the Chabahar port, an Indian Oil petrochemical plant and the proposed Iran–Pakistan–India (IPI) gas pipeline.

India’s oil imports from Iran have been restricted by the sanctions and the recent forward movement on Chabahar port was accommodated within the exemption granted for projects exclusively serving commerce with Afghanistan.

“With the lifting of the sanctions, the scope of India-Iranian cooperation, including the scope of the Chabahar port, can be expanded,” an Indian diplomat said.

U.S. has to keep anti-Iran allies happy

The Obama administration officials were upbeat on Saturday about the “diplomatic success” with a country with which it has no diplomatic relations. “Iran has made unprecedented concessions,” a senior official said.

But the administration has the tough task ahead, of keeping anti-Iran allies in West Asia such as Saudi Arabia and Israel happy and countering domestic criticism by the Republicans that it is going soft on Iran.

Jon B. Alterman, Director, Middle East Programme, at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said: “U.S allies in the region fear that the U.S. focus on the nuclear threat distracts the United States from the array of other threats that Iran poses to the region. The U.S will have to reassure Saudi and UAE and others that that is not the case.”

Long way to go for normal U.S.-Iran diplomacy

Mr. Alterman also believes that the possibility of U.S and Iran entering into normal diplomatic relations is “very far off.” “There are still many reasons each side is distrustful of the other.” He said, Iran wanted to be treated like a normal country, while other countries want Iran to behave like a normal country. “This is a step in that direction but the onus is on Iran to prove that its behavior fits into international norms. That is still a long journey.”

For the consumption of allies in the region and foes at home, the Obama administration insists that the deal is only about stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

No relationship perspective: Kirby

“The Iran deal was never about defining or improving our relationship with Iran. It was about cutting off their pathways to a nuclear bomb, and it will do that. So nobody is looking at this from a relationship perspective,” State Department spokesperson John Kirby said hours before the implementation of the deal. The U.S has also made it clear that it continues to treat Iran as a state-sponsor of terrorism, and punitive actions prescribed for promoting terrorism, human rights violations and missile tests will continue. A U.S official said on Saturday that new sanctions for a ballistic missile test by Iran recently “will be forthcoming at an appropriate time.”

Resolving other issues

At the same time, administration and U.S allies in West Asia are aware of the potential this holds for the U.S in dealing with a host of other issues in the region. “The nuclear talks have opened up the possibility of resolving other issues also. We now have established strong diplomatic channels. The Secretary and Iranian Foreign Minister worked closely on the release of U.S sailors earlier this week, and we used the same channels to secure the release of U.S prisoners from Iran,” one of the officials who briefed on background said.

Source : The Hindu 

World’s costliest car crash in Japan worth : $4 mn

The accident involved eight Ferraris, a Lamborghini and three Mercedes on a freeway in Japan



Tokyo: Speeding was identified as a possible cause on Monday of what is believed to be world’s most expensive ever car crash, when up to $4 million-worth of supercars ended up in a crumpled heap on a highway. Eight Ferraris, a Lamborghini, three Mercedes Benz – plus a Toyota Prius – were among the vehicles involved in the crash.

Police say they believe the accident Sunday took place when the driver of one of the Ferraris tried to change lanes and hit the median barrier. He spun across the freeway, and the other cars collided while trying to avoid hitting his car.

Video of the crash aired by NTV, a major national network, showed several smashed, bright red Ferraris cluttering the freeway. Even a used Ferrari in Japan can fetch $100,000 or more, meaning the total damage may be $1 million or more.

Police declined to comment on the total amount of damage, but said some of the vehicles were beyond repair. NTV quoted the driver of one of the tow trucks brought in to clear the scene as saying it was the most expensive crash site he had ever seen.

No one was seriously injured, but police in Yamaguchi prefecture said 10 people were treated for bruises and cuts. Police say 14 cars were involved altogether. The luxury cars were all in one place because they were being driven by a group of automobile enthusiasts on their way to nearby Hiroshima.
Source Ahmedabad Mirror

Tahawwur Rana acquitted of 26/11 charges, found guilty of helping LeT

Chicago:  Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana has been acquitted by a US court on charges of abetting Mumbai terror attacks but was convicted for providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and helping a terror plot in Denmark.

The 12-member jury announced the verdict at the end of two days of deliberations against 50-year-old Rana, a co-accused in the Mumbai attack with David Coleman Headley.

Rana faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the two counts combined and remains in Federal custody without bond, a US Justice Department statement said. No sentencing date was set.

Verdict was announced by US District Judge Harry D Leinenweber, shortly after 4:30 pm (local time) in the court room.
Justice Department spokesman Randall Samborn said, "A Federal Court jury has convicted defendant Rana on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the Denmark terrorism plot and one count of providing material support to LeT, and not guilty of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November 2008."

Rana, who was brought in the court from the local prison, was stunned after the verdict was pronounced.

The verdict came nearly three weeks of trial of Rana at the Chicago court.

Prosecutors alleged Rana was aware of the Mumbai terror strike and was in contact with the terrorist groups and their leaders in Pakistan. Rana's attorney, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty and said that Headley, an all time liar, had fooled him.

Pakistani-American Headley, 50, was the government's star witness during the trial.

Headley had entered into a plea bargain with US authorities to testify against other suspects in order to avoid the death penalty and being extradited to India, Pakistan and Denmark.

In its statement the Justice Department said Rana, a Pakistani native who operated a Chicago-based immigration business has been convicted of participating in conspiracy involving a terrorism plot against a Danish newspaper and providing material support to a terrorist organisation based in Pakistan.

"The defendant, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, was found guilty by a Federal jury that deliberated two days following a trial that began May 16 in US District Court. The jury acquitted Rana of conspiracy to provide material support to the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans," it said.

The judge ordered the defence to file post-trial motions by August 15.

Patrick Blegan, Rana's Attorney, said, "We do not know what the jury was thinking." He said, "We are disappointed".

Blegan said this sentencing could result in a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment, 15 years for each of the two counts in which Rana was found guilty.

He said the jury decided that there was no death involved due to Rana providing material support to LeT.

"This is a split verdict. Mumbai part of the verdict is very significant as jury did not find him guilty in the terrorists attacks," he said.

Those present in the court room were US attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and assistant attorney Daniel Collins and Vicky Peters, Defense attorney Blegen, Rana's wife Samraz Rana their two daughters and mother of Samraz. Blegan and Rana family members looked tense and crestfallen.

"The message should be clear to all those who help terrorists - we will bring to justice all those who seek to facilitate violence," said Patrick J Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

"Today's verdict demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable not only terrorist operatives, but also those who facilitate their activities. As established at trial, Rana provided valuable cover and support to David Headley, knowing that Headley and others were plotting terror attacks overseas," said Todd Hinnen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

"We will not rest in our efforts to identify and bring to justice those who provide support to terrorists," he said.

"Those who died in Mumbai demand justice. You (the jury) will find the truth that this man knew that his trained terrorist friend (Headley) was bent on killing people," Collins urged the jury in his final arguments.




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