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World getting tired of US sanctions against Iran: Expert

Thursday, 28 January 2016 6:44 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 28 January 2016 6:44 PM ]

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (R), his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif (L), Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Rear L) and French President Francois Hollande attend a contracts and agreements signing ceremony in Paris on January 28, 2016 in Paris. ©AFP

Press TV has interviewed Ian Williams, an economic expert from New York, to discuss significance of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to France.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: How do you feel about this economic world trip to Italy and Paris on the part of the Iranian president?

Williams: I do not think that is a surprise that the Europeans have been eager to trade and get deliveries of Iranian oil for some time. The interest embitters the ramifications on the world oil market which, as you know, is in a state of say disequilibrium at the moment. But the main reason for that is the Saudis [are] continually pumping as much as they can get out and the addition of the US shale oil. The addition of Iranian oil is not going to be a significant factor in that; I do not think.

Press TV: This is a time of course of economic crunch, if I may use that word, in Europe. How important do you think it is that these sorts of deals are being signed with Iran now?

Williams: It is extremely important. You know it is amazing that the people who try to force free trade on the rest of the world’s throats are the ones who keep trying to invent politically-motivated sanctions. And the political motivation is usually pandering to domestic lobbies in trying to show that they are doing something. They are not well-thought-out and considered sanctions to achieve political ends usually that they are to demonstrate fealty to one or other lobby in Congress. I think the rest of the world is getting sanctions-fatigued from the US Congress and is less and less likely to pay any attention to them.

Press TV: Finally, President Rouhani was in France. France was re-speaking about sanctioning Iran again of using the same excuse that the US may use about these ballistic missiles. How do you feel about that?

Williams: I suspect it will be counterproductive. Sanctions are very crude and desperate move and are not really aimed for finessing diplomatic points until they decide to sanction other countries in the region that have been threatening Iran and others with missiles. It is not going to carry internationally. People know who is threatening who with missiles and to produce sanctions uniquely against Iran would be perceptively unfair for the rest of the world and they will probably go ahead and ignore them.

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