Exclusive | The Biden Administration Remains Committed to 'Strict' Sanctions Against the Iranian Government

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State said on Thursday, September 13, that the Biden administration remains committed to enforcing 'strict' sanctions imposed against the Iranian government. In response to a question about potential violations of U.S. sanctions by Iraq, the spokesperson stated that Washington is eager to obtain more details about the memorandum of understanding signed between Baghdad and Tehran to ensure that there are no activities warranting sanctions. The spokesperson referred to recent agreements between Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the Islamic Republic government, and Iraqi officials, following Pezeshkian's expression of hope that the major 'pressure of sanctions' could be neutralized as a result of relations with neighboring countries. In reaction to a letter from several U.S. lawmakers regarding the possible involvement of Ihsan Abdul-Ghani, the Iraqi oil minister, in circumventing U.S. sanctions against the Iranian government, the spokesperson said, 'As a general rule, we do not comment on congressional correspondence, but we are concerned about reports of smuggling and corruption.' The spokesperson added that Washington has discussed this issue with Iraqi officials and stated that it is ready to take necessary steps to disrupt potential smuggling networks and address allegations of corruption. Continuing in response to Voice of America, while refraining from providing further details, the spokesperson said, 'We fully support the Iraqi government's goal of achieving energy independence by 2030 through increased efficiency, renewable energy sources, and modernization of power grids.' Five U.S. lawmakers wrote to Joe Biden last Wednesday, citing 'multiple public reports' about the involvement of the oil minister and several other Iraqi officials in circumventing sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic, calling for their exclusion from meetings hosted by the U.S. In response, the Iraqi Ministry of Oil on Sunday dismissed the allegations made by the U.S. lawmakers as 'baseless,' stating that Baghdad adheres to 'the highest standards of transparency' regarding oil production and exports, with necessary information regularly published through official channels. Meanwhile, the American newspaper Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Iraqi banks, by exploiting a financial system designed by the U.S., have violated international sanctions against the Islamic Republic and transferred billions of dollars to Iran. According to this report, the system lacked sufficient controls to prevent money laundering and facilitated fraudulent transactions to finance the Iranian government and its affiliated militias abroad.