Three Days Until the Return of Sanctions; Speculations About Countries Exempted by the U.S.

As the second round of U.S. sanctions against Iran is set to take effect on Monday, November 5, international media have reported on the outcomes of negotiations between several countries and Washington officials regarding exemptions. Following the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, part of the sanctions that were lifted under this agreement were reinstated last August, and the second round, which mainly targets oil and banking transactions, is scheduled to be implemented from November 5. Bloomberg reported on Friday that the U.S. has generally agreed that eight countries will be able to continue purchasing oil from Iran even after the sanctions begin. Bloomberg mentioned four countries: South Korea, India, Japan, and China, while the identities of the other four countries remain unclear. U.S. officials have not yet responded to this report, but according to Bloomberg, the list of countries exempt from sanctions is expected to be officially released on Monday, coinciding with the start of the sanctions. Reuters noted that Japanese and South Korean officials declined to comment on this matter, while a Chinese official only confirmed that negotiations with Washington are 'ongoing, and the outcome is expected to be clear in the coming days.' In India, media reports in recent days have indicated that the U.S. has generally agreed to exempt New Delhi. Reports have also emerged regarding Turkey's exemption, but the country's Ministry of Energy stated that despite rumors, it has not yet received any written document from Washington. The ambiguity surrounding Iran's access to SWIFT continues, as the second round of U.S. sanctions will also include Iran's banking transactions. The conservative website 'Washington Free Beacon' claimed on Friday that U.S. State Department experts have managed to convince Mike Pompeo to allow Iran continued access to SWIFT. According to Free Beacon, officials from the State Department and the Treasury declined to comment on this issue, but the mention of this topic has angered some of Trump's supporters. A few days ago, the Associated Press reported that some of Donald Trump's supporters in Congress are concerned that the Treasury Department may agree to allow Iran continued access to SWIFT, thereby violating the U.S. government's commitment to exert 'maximum pressure on Iran.' Meanwhile, Iranian officials have recently downplayed the significance of the second round of U.S. sanctions, stating that nothing new will happen. Most recently, Gholamali Khoshroo, Iran's representative to the UN, stated that U.S. sanctions 'have disrupted the state of global trade.' According to IRNA, Khoshroo said in his speech at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, 'The new sanctions not only target the Iranian people but also have harmful consequences for the people of other countries.' U.S. officials have repeatedly emphasized that the sanctions against Iran are a response to 'the destructive actions of the Islamic Republic in the region and globally' and are not aimed at the Iranian people. Other senior Iranian officials have also downplayed the U.S. sanctions. For instance, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated on Wednesday that 'America will not succeed in this new conspiracy against Iran,' addressing Washington officials, 'You cannot cut off Iran's oil, nor can you bring it down to the level you desire.' Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated on Tuesday that sanctions are 'usually more psychological than practical' and doubted that 'anything new will happen next week.' Donald Trump officially announced the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal last May, stating that the JCPOA did not affect the 'destructive behavior' of the Islamic Republic and 'did not lead to the promotion of 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.