Mike Pompeo: Iran's Oil Exports Reduced by Over One Million Barrels

Hours before the implementation of the second round of U.S. sanctions against Iran following the withdrawal from the JCPOA, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that the Iranian regime, not the people of the country, is the target of these sanctions. On November 4, he tweeted that 'we are implementing tough sanctions against the Iranian regime.' He added, 'Our goal is to force Iran to abandon its destructive activities. These sanctions target the regime, not the people who suffer from the mismanagement and cruelty of their government.' President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that the U.S. was withdrawing from the nuclear agreement with Iran and reinstated the first round of suspended sanctions in mid-August. The second round of sanctions, which mainly targets Iran's banking activities and oil exports with the aim of bringing Tehran's oil sales to zero, will be implemented from the early hours of November 5. However, U.S. officials have acknowledged that cutting Iran's oil exports is not feasible in the short term and have announced exemptions for eight countries. What sanctions will be re-implemented on November 5? In an interview on Fox News, Secretary Pompeo mentioned that these eight countries 'need more time to bring their imports to zero.' He did not name these countries but stated that despite these exemptions, 'the sanctions have already had widespread effects (on Iran).' Pompeo clarified: 'Currently, over one million barrels have been reduced from Iran's oil exports. This figure will decrease further. There are countries that have already reduced their oil imports from Iran but need more time to bring it to zero, and we are moving in that direction.' Bloomberg had previously reported that India, China, Japan, and South Korea have received these exemptions, but the names of the other four countries are not specified. The maximum pressure policy of the President will be fully implemented from tomorrow (Monday). Look at the situation of Iranians. This way, one can truly understand the significance and impact of the efforts we have made. The Iranian rial has fallen to 140,000 rials (14,000 tomans) against the dollar, which has already had a widespread impact. Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, stated that India is expected to reduce its oil purchases from Iran by 30 percent. South Korea has halted its oil purchases from Iran since July. Japan's oil imports from Iran also stopped last month. However, it is still unclear what position China, as Iran's largest customer, will take. Iran has repeatedly stated that no country can compensate for the decline in the Islamic Republic's oil production and that U.S. sanctions will only lead to higher oil prices. However, statistics indicate that the decline in Iran's oil production is being compensated by its OPEC peers, and oil prices have decreased by more than ten dollars compared to a month ago. Pompeo stated that the 'maximum pressure' policy of Donald Trump will be fully implemented from Monday. The U.S. Secretary of State noted: 'I am sure that the sanctions will return on Monday—not just oil sanctions but also financial sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department, which will cover over 600 individuals and entities in Iran.' He stated that the aim of reinstating these sanctions is to 'change the behavior of the Iranian regime,' especially regarding its support for terrorist groups like Hezbollah. In response to a question about some Republican senators like Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton, and Ted Cruz calling for cutting Iran's access to the international financial network known as 'SWIFT,' he said: 'The President's maximum pressure policy will be implemented from tomorrow (Monday). Look at the situation of Iranians. This way, one can truly understand the significance and impact of the efforts we have made. The Iranian rial has fallen to 140,000 rials (14,000 tomans) against the dollar, which has already had a widespread impact.' He added: 'We are making every effort to ensure that the people of Iran are supported and that our efforts are directly aimed at changing the destructive behavior of the Iranian regime. That is the goal and mission.' In another interview with the program 'Face the Nation' on CBS, he stated he was 'confident' that Iran would not resume its nuclear activities after the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA. The secondary U.S. sanctions are being implemented while the International Court of Justice has called for the lifting of sanctions that harm the Iranian people following a complaint from Iran. The suspended sanctions are being reinstated while Iranian officials have emphasized in recent months that the U.S. cannot bring Iran's oil exports to zero. Media close to the government have also recently dedicated their headlines to what they have called 'America's failure' in this regard, citing the exemptions granted to eight countries for importing oil from Iran as evidence. Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin are expected to announce more details about the sanctions against Iran on Monday. Donald Trump announced the official U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement last May, stating that the JCPOA did not impact the 'destructive behavior' of the Islamic Republic of Iran and 'did not lead to peace in the world.' Last week, Trump also stated that he would do whatever it takes to counter the 'malicious actions' of the Islamic Republic. In this context, 300 new individuals and entities will be added to the list of U.S. sanctions against Iran. Iran's response to the return of U.S. sanctions: 'It is psychological warfare.' Trump: Iranian officials will finally 'use their intelligence' and negotiate. Zarif called for D-8 countries to counter unilateral actions against Iran. Netanyahu praised Trump for reapplying sanctions against Iran. The impact of U.S. oil sanctions against Iran on the revival of the Indian currency. Sanctions are not the reason for Iran's collapsed position in the global economy! The return of U.S. sanctions with 'special discounts' for friendly countries! Severe government repression and the risk of 'underground' protests. What doctors and eyewitnesses recount about the injured in the protests. The limitations of China-Iran relations amid protests.