Guess who gets this one:
"US allowing firms to skirt Iran sanctions; Licenses also issued for other pariah nations" by Jo Becker, New York Times / December 24, 2010
NEW YORK — At the behest of a host of companies — from Kraft Food and Pepsi to some of the nation’s largest banks — a little-known office of the Treasury Department has made nearly 10,000 exceptions to US sanctions rules, approving deals involving countries that have been cast into economic purgatory, beyond the reach of US business....
I noticed they are getting a lot of gifts today.
What’s more, in such countries as Iran where elements of the government have assumed control over large portions of the economy, it is increasingly difficult to separate exceptions that help the people from those that enrich the state....
So when did Iran bailout their banks?
The Treasury office resisted disclosing information about the licenses, but after the New York Times filed a federal Freedom of Information lawsuit, the government agreed to turn over a list of companies granted exceptions and, in a little more than 100 cases, underlying files explaining the nature and details of the deals. The process took three years, and the government heavily redacted many documents, saying they contained trade secrets and personal information.
Proving that the government is a business agent for corporations.
Not too worried about your privacy, are they?
--more--"
Related: US hits Iran firms with new sanctions
As US moves out of Iraq, Iranian business moves in
Also see: A defiant Iran announces it has begun mining its own uranium
Nuclear program dominates talks between Iran, world powers
Iran, major powers end talks with no accord on nuclear issue
Tehran struggles under heavy air pollution
Well, something sure does stink.
That's why they need nuclear power.
Iran’s president fires foreign minister, taps nuclear chief
Suicide bombers in Iran kill 39
Group blasts Iran’s alleged gay executions
In Iran, forces on alert after subsidy cuts
