Mehr News Agency – In an exclusive interview with Mehr News, the renowned U.S. academic Noam Chomsky says Europe is able to resist US sanctions on Iran, but will probably be unwilling to do so.
In an exclusive and yet short interview with Mehr News, the renowned US academic also says Europe is unlikely to directly confront a “very dangerous US”.
Following is the text of the interview with Chomsky:
Some argue that the European Union law cannot protect Iran against the impact of US sanctions. In other words, the law is a new version of the “Blocking Statute” that the European Union approved in 1996 to protect Cuba against US sanctions. In your opinion, how effective is this law in protecting Iran against US sanctions?
It could be effective if the EU were willing to employ it, but that would mean a direct confrontation with a very dangerous US, which Europe is unlikely to be willing to pursue. Back in 1996, without the Europe support, US imposed sanctions on Cuba, and Europe did not accept these sanctions. Is Europe now able to resist U.S. sanctions against Iran?
A: It’s not at all clear that Europe did not accept the Cuba sanctions in practice, whatever they may have said in words. Europe is able to resist US sanctions, but will probably be unwilling to do so. In Europe, economic companies have the right and freedom to choose, and the EU also does not want to restrict this freedom. Can the EU push the companies to work with Iran? Probably not, but the situation is unlikely to arise.
Interview by: Javad Heirannia
