GOP shutdown allows Iran to violate sanctions undetected.

[velvtacheeze]

Nice job, GOP. Your goal of stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon has been put aside while you try to re-uninsure millions. Nice priorities you have there.

NO WONDER MITT LOST!

Government Shutdown Empties Offices Enforcing Sanctions on Iran - The Daily Beast

Government Shutdown Empties Offices Enforcing Sanctions on Iran
by Josh Rogin, Eli Lake Oct 2, 2013 10:00 PM EDT
The shutdown has forced the Treasury Department to furlough most of the employees enforcing sanctions on Iran, just as the U.S. is beginning new negotiations. Josh Rogin and Eli Lake report on the potential fallout.

 

[Trajan]

right, they cannot keep track of the exemptions they have given say- China, India and Turkey so they can buy more Iranian oil....

and this all worked so well in the oil for food gig, eh? .

 

[waltky]

Iran may get some sanction relief if it continues to show good faith in nuclear negotiations...

U.S. holds out prospect of some sanctions relief for Iran
October 3rd, 2013 ~ The United States would be prepared to consider relaxing certain sanctions on Iran if it engaged in confidence-building steps to prove its sincerity to negotiate over its disputed nuclear program, a top State Department official said Thursday.

"There may be some elements that we can do initially if they take verifiable, concrete actions that will put time on the clock that are reversible or in fact don't go to any of the key sanctions that have brought them to the table," Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sherman made clear the entire sanctions regime targeting Iran would not be lifted "any time soon" unless the entire litany of concerns about Iran's nuclear program were fully addressed. Iran's recent opening and seeming willingness to negotiate seriously over its nuclear program is believed to be a result of crippling sanctions on its economy.

Sherman's comments come as members of both the Foreign Relations and Banking committees in the Senate consider additional sanctions as a way of increasing the pressure on Iran to negotiate in good faith with the United States and its international partners. While that process moves forward, Sherman said such measures should wait until the next meeting of the so-called P5+1 scheduled in Geneva later this month. "I would hope that you will allow us the time to begin these negotiations and see if, in fact, there is anything real here," she said. "With my telling of the Iranians quite directly, that if there isn't that everyone is ready to act."

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman

Sherman will represent the United States at the meeting in Geneva. Some members of Congress immediately voiced concern over the Obama administration's stance, and said now was not the time to relieve any pressure on Iran. "It is critical that we increase the pressure on Iran to increase our negotiating leverage and deny Tehran the resources to continue its nuclear program," Rep. Ed Royce, R-California, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement. "Iran is only at the table because of our economic pressure. Why fool with success?"

In her testimony, Sherman said it is still too early to tell whether Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has a real mandate from the country's supreme leader to send Iran's foreign minister to Geneva with the basis to deliver tangible progress on the nuclear issue. "I think what you're going to get is you're going to get another dog-and-pony show," Sen. James Risch (R-ID.), told Sherman. " I think you're going to get another shuffle."

U.S. holds out prospect of some sanctions relief for Iran ? CNN Security Clearance - CNN.com Blogs

See also:

Iran Sanctions Bill Sponsor: Administration's Request for Congress to Hold Off is ‘Troubling’
October 3, 2013 – After two months of declining to comment publicly about the administration’s view of new legislation toughening sanctions against Iran, the State Department on Thursday asked senators to delay the move, at least until nuclear negotiators meet in Geneva later this month.

The fresh sanctions drive comes at a time when the administration is exploring the possibility of a diplomatic opening with Iran’s “moderate” new president. With talks on the longstanding nuclear dispute scheduled for October 15 and 16, undersecretary for political affairs Wendy Sherman urged senators to hold off. “We do believe it would helpful for you all to at least allow this meeting to happen on the 15th and 16th of October before moving forward to consider those new sanctions,” she told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sherman said she wanted to be able to tell the Iranians, “This is your opportunity, come on the 15th October, with concrete, substantive actions that you will take; commitments you will make in a verifiable way; monitoring and verification that you will live up to create some faith that there is reality to this, and our Congress will listen. “But I can assure you, if you do not come on the 15th and 16th with that substantive plan that is real and verifiable, our Congress will take action and we will support them to do so.” Up to now, State Department spokespeople have declined to comment on the legislation, saying simply that the administration would continue “working with Congress” on the matter.

House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), sponsor of the bill which passed in the House by a 400-20 vote last July, described the call as “troubling,” saying it was only because of sanctions pressure that Iran was considering negotiating in the first place. “I strongly encourage the Senate to pass sanctions legislation now,” he said in a statement reacting to Sherman’s request. “It is critical that we increase the pressure on Iran to increase our negotiating leverage and deny Tehran the resources to continue its nuclear program.” “Before we slow down on sanctions, we must see actions – not simply talk – from Iran,” Royce said. “Iran is only at the table because of our economic pressure. Why fool with success?”

H.R. 850, which is before the Senate Banking Committee, would compel buyers of Iranian crude to further reduce their combined purchases, by one million barrels per day, within one year; broaden the range of targeted sectors of Iran’s economy; bar entry to U.S. ports of any ship registered in a country that also registers Iranian vessels; and tighten penalties on human rights abusers. Iran insists that its nuclear program – which it hid from the international community for almost two decades before exposure by opponents of the regime in 2002 – is peaceful, designed only for research and domestic power-generation purposes.

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