President Trump signs order reimposing sanctions on Iran beginning at midnight on August 5-6, 2018. Official White House photo.

A short while ago, President Trump signed the order reimposing sanctions on Iran. These sanctions were in effect before Obama and his brain trust of John Kerry, Susan Rice, and Ben Rhodes decided that making Iran a regional superpower, protecting their nuclear research infrastructure, and shipping them pallets of cash was a really, really great idea. This is the text of the order. This is from the White House statement:

Today, the United States is taking action to reimpose nuclear-related sanctions with respect to Iran that were lifted in connection with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action of July 14, 2015 (the “JCPOA”). These actions include reimposing sanctions on Iran’s automotive sector and on its trade in gold and precious metals, as well as sanctions related to the Iranian rial. These measures will take effect on August 7, 2018.

All remaining United States nuclear-related sanctions will resume effective November 5, 2018. These include sanctions targeting Iran’s energy sector, including petroleum-related transactions, as well as transactions by foreign financial institutions with the Central Bank of Iran.

The United States is fully committed to enforcing all of our sanctions, and we will work closely with nations conducting business with Iran to ensure complete compliance. Individuals or entities that fail to wind down activities with Iran risk severe consequences.

Today, the United States is taking action to reimpose nuclear-related sanctions with respect to Iran.

Full statement from President Trump: https://t.co/tfDYCDyfDT

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 6, 2018

90 days ago, @POTUS withdrew U.S. from the failed #IranDeal. Today, sanctions on the regime in #Iran were re-imposed to counter its malign activities. The regime must use Iran's resources to help its citizens, not support terror & enrich the leadership. https://t.co/hES0cmwjYc

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) August 6, 2018

This action takes place as Iran seems to be rocked by a regular and widespread series of anti-government demonstrations. I say “seems” because press censorship in Iran is rather absolute and the reports coming out are all via dissident groups that have a vested interest in giving the illusion of an incipient revolution in progress. Maybe if Don Lemon has a nice sit-down with Hassan Rouhani or some other mullah, then it will all be much more clear.

Europe, living up to Lenin’s aphorism of the west selling the Soviet Union the rope they’d use to hang them, is pulling out all the stops to try to protect European companies doing business with Iran.

Joint statement by the EU, German, French and UK Foreign Ministers following the re-imposition of US sanctions on Iran due to its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal pic.twitter.com/gwrTaWLdo2

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) August 6, 2018

The whole “blocking statute” is nonsense that does a lot to make the European bureaucracy have a minor tingle in their collective nether regions at the thought of having stuck it to the vile Trump, but, in reality, it does nothing to protect European companies.

Europe is trying to pretend it can block US sanctions. It cannot. The blocking statute is a joke. Banks and businesses who want to continue existing will end all sanctionable activity with Iran. https://t.co/8KwjrdSEEV

— Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) August 6, 2018

The weak point in Europe’s strategy is that it might help a company that self-finances business with Iran, but the moment they have a bank it forces that bank’s management to choose between doing business with companies that use US dollars or have a business relationship with US companies and servicing a company that deals with Iran.

The EU is going to allow companies hit by new US sanctions on Iran to sue the American government https://t.co/0GPeUEd9A7

— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) August 6, 2018

No word on how someone who is in business long enough to pursue such an action plans on collecting.

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