US ends Iran sanctions waiver for Iraq electricity payments

The US State Department has decided to let a sanctions waiver allowing Iraq to pay for electricity imports lapse, according to a report today (Sunday) by Iran International.

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce had announced earlier that it was examining all waivers of US sanctions on Iran, and has now decided to tighten them by ending Iraqi payments to Iran for electricity imports, encouraging Iraq to not rely on Iran for its energy.

This move is part of a concerted effort to impose "maximum pressure" sanctions on Iran in order to prevent the country from creating nuclear weapons. This approach is in direct contrast to that of the previous administration, which had lifted or eased many of the sanctions imposed during Trump's first term in the hope of securing a deal on nuclear weapons that way.

President Trump signed an executive order reinstating "maximum pressure" sanctions on Iran, saying that although the sanctions were "tough," they were necessary since Iran "cannot" be allowed to have nuclear weapons.

However, Trump has repeatedly signaled to Iran that he is first and foremost interested in a new nuclear deal preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons, often threatening that if Iran is not denied those weapons with a deal, there are "other ways" to do so including air strikes. Trump even claims he recently sent a letter to Iran to that effect, though Iran denies receiving any such letter.

Israel and the United States recently conducted a large scale air force exercise including strategic bombers and refueling planes over the Mediterranean Sea, possibly in preparation for a strike on Iran or at least to threaten the possibility.

Iran's response to both the offer of a deal and to possible air strikes has been defiant, as Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ruled out negotiations with the United States, as opposed to Europe, and prohibited the President from engaging in them.