Iran's National Oil Tanker Company Fails to Lift EU Sanctions

The High Court in London rejected the request of Iran's National Oil Tanker Company to prevent the company from being reinstated on the EU sanctions list. According to Reuters, the EU intends to soon add the National Oil Tanker Company back to the sanctions list. Therefore, the company's lawyers approached the London court on Friday, February 6, asking the judge to compel the British government to vote against and veto the EU's decision, which must be made unanimously. However, the judge reportedly refused to accept Iran's request, and a hearing for both parties was held on Monday, February 8. Judge Nicholas Green stated during the session that 'although the arguments of the lawyers for the National Oil Tanker Company cannot be completely dismissed,' the British government's lawyers argued that vetoing the EU's decision 'would harm Britain's credibility regarding Iran's nuclear program and also reduce the chances of successful nuclear negotiations with Iran, as it could strengthen the view among those in Tehran who believe there is no need for serious negotiations because the West will eventually have to lift the sanctions on its own.' The judge added that compelling the British government to veto the EU's decision could only be done in 'absolutely exceptional' circumstances, and issuing such a ruling would create 'tangible problems for a policy that deems sanctions necessary.' The judge then referred the ruling and decision on this case to the General Court of the EU in Luxembourg. The EU has sanctioned Iran's National Oil Tanker Company since October 2012, arguing it aided Iran's nuclear program. However, following Iran's complaint to the General Court of the EU in Luxembourg, this court ruled to lift the sanctions against the company in July 2014. Iran argued that the National Oil Tanker Company is not a state entity and has no ties to the Revolutionary Guards or Iran's nuclear program. Since the EU did not file a request for appeal against the Luxembourg court's ruling within the legal timeframe, Ravin Chandra Sekera, the lawyer for the National Oil Tanker Company, announced this October that the ruling of the General Court of the EU has become final. Ali Akbar Safaei, the CEO of the National Oil Tanker Company, also told the Fars news agency this October that the EU had 70 days to appeal the ruling but did not do so, resulting in the ruling now being final. However, at that time, the EU announced that although it did not file an appeal within the legal timeframe, it was taking steps to keep this Iranian company on the EU sanctions list. On the other hand, with the end of the deadline for the EU to file an appeal and the absence of a request, the UK Treasury announced this October that the National Oil Tanker Company, along with Sorinet Trading Company, Sharif University of Technology, Moalem Insurance Company, and Sina Bank, has been removed from the sanctions list of this ministry. Based on this action by the UK Treasury, the National Oil Tanker Company requested the High Court in London on Friday to veto the EU's decision by the British government.