Iranian FM: We have ‘perfected the art of evading sanctions’

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on CBS, Sep 2018

Agence France Presse, quoted in Times of Israel, reports, “Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday said US sanctions will have no impact on the policies of the Islamic republic at home or abroad. “It is obvious that we are facing pressure by the US sanctions. But will that lead to a change in policy? I can assure you it won’t,” Zarif told the Doha Forum policy conference in Qatar. “If there is an art we have perfected in Iran and can teach to others for a price, it is the art of evading sanctions,” he added.”

“The US imposed two sets of sanctions on Iran this year, after earlier unilaterally pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal with global powers. Discussing the Yemen conflict, Zarif denied Tehran had ever armed the Houthi rebels battling pro-government forces in the country. “We have never provided weapons to Houthis,” he said when challenged on what arms it had supplied. “They have enough weapons, they don’t need weapons from Iran,” Zarif said. He said there were only “allegations” that Iran had sent weapons to Yemen, whereas there were “facts” that other countries had shipped arms. I don’t need to show any evidence about the jets that were flying in Yemen bombing the Yemenis.”  (more…)