Israeli Leaders Praise President Trump For Re-imposing Sanctions On Iran

At midnight Eastern Standard Time the first batch of U.S. sanctions were re-imposed on Iran, much to the delight of Israeli leaders across most of the political spectrum. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who fought tooth and nail against the 2015 nuclear agreement, called the move an “an important moment for Israel, the U.S., the region and the entire world.” Education Minister Naftali Bennett said the new penalties prove to Iran that it “must end its genocidal ambitions,” whereas Yesh Atid party head Yair Lapid, who sits in the opposition, maintained that, “Until the Iranian people succeed in shaking off the tyrannical regime, the ayatollahs will have to choose: a nuclear program and support for terror, or a weak economy and harm to their own people.” Nevertheless, many Israeli politicians took issue with the position of the European Union, which expressed “deep regret” over U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision and vowed to “protect European economic operators engaged in legitimate business with Iran.” To this end, Brussels has enacted a so-called “blocking statute” that essentially prohibits EU firms from complying with the sanctions and provides mechanisms that allow businesses to recover any resulting damages while negating potential foreign court rulings against them. “Where is Sasha Baron Cohen when he needs to dress up as an Iranian ayatollah and meet the leaders of Europe? Perhaps he can understand what madness has gripped them,” Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman quipped in reference to the comedian’s new television show in which he disguises himself and then induces American public figures to say outrageous things on camera. Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan described the EU as “morally bankrupt,” adding, “we need to remember that next time they try to lecture us.” The first installment of U.S. sanctions bars Iran’s purchase of American dollars as well as its trade in gold and precious metals, among other things. A second round targeting Tehran’s crucial energy and shipping sectors will take effect in November.