Netherlands Proposes New Sanctions on Iran
Politics

Netherlands Proposes New Sanctions on Iran

Euronews4h ago
3 min read
📋

Key Facts

  • The Netherlands is set to propose fresh sanctions against Iran.
  • The proposed sanctions would include the freezing of assets for new individuals involved in the recent crackdown.
  • The crackdown has reportedly claimed hundreds of lives.
  • Protests began nearly two weeks ago in Iran.

Quick Summary

The Netherlands is set to propose fresh sanctions against Iran following the government's recent crackdown on protests. The proposed measures specifically target individuals involved in the suppression of the demonstrations.

A key component of the sanctions would be the freezing of assets for these new individuals. The crackdown has reportedly resulted in hundreds of deaths since the protests started nearly two weeks ago. This action represents a significant diplomatic step by the Netherlands to address the escalating violence.

Details of the Proposed Sanctions

The proposed sanctions from The Netherlands are a direct response to the ongoing situation in Iran. The primary measure being considered is the freezing of assets for specific individuals. These individuals are those who have been identified as being involved in the recent crackdown on protesters.

The government's focus is on holding specific actors accountable. The sanctions are not aimed at the general population but rather at those directly implicated in the violence. This targeted approach is designed to exert pressure on the regime without causing widespread economic hardship for ordinary citizens.

The proposal is a significant step in the international community's response to the events in Iran. By targeting assets, the Netherlands aims to create a direct consequence for those participating in the suppression of dissent. This financial pressure is a common tool in international diplomacy.

Context of the Iranian Protests

The sanctions proposal comes amidst a period of intense unrest in Iran. Protests began nearly two weeks ago and have since escalated dramatically. The situation has drawn international attention due to the severity of the government's response.

According to reports, the crackdown has been brutal. The number of lives claimed is reportedly in the hundreds. This high casualty figure underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgency felt by international actors to intervene.

The protests represent a significant challenge to the Iranian government. The widespread nature of the demonstrations has prompted a severe reaction from state security forces. The international community, including the Netherlands, is closely monitoring the developments and seeking ways to address the human rights violations.

International Response and Diplomacy

The move by The Netherlands is part of a broader international effort to address the crisis in Iran. By taking the lead in proposing these sanctions, the Netherlands is signaling a strong stance against human rights abuses. This action may encourage other nations to consider similar measures.

The proposal will likely be discussed within international forums such as the United Nations. Coordinated action is often more effective than unilateral sanctions. The Netherlands' initiative could serve as a catalyst for a more unified global response.

Diplomatic efforts are focused on de-escalation and accountability. The proposed sanctions are a tool to pressure the Iranian government to cease its violent crackdown and engage in dialogue with its citizens. The ultimate goal is to see an end to the violence and a peaceful resolution to the current crisis.

Conclusion

The Netherlands' proposal for fresh sanctions against Iran marks a critical development in the international response to the protest crackdown. The focus on asset freezes for individuals involved in the violence demonstrates a targeted and strategic approach. This action highlights the growing international concern over the human rights situation in Iran.

The coming days will be crucial as the proposal is formally presented and discussed. The international community will be watching closely to see how other nations respond. The situation in Iran remains fluid, and the pressure from abroad is expected to increase.

Continue scrolling for more

'Big Short' investor Michael Burry explains why he's betting against Nvidia, not Meta or Microsoft
Economics

'Big Short' investor Michael Burry explains why he's betting against Nvidia, not Meta or Microsoft

Michael Burry Jim Spellman/WireImage Michael Burry says he's short Nvidia as it's especially exposed to what he sees as an AI bubble. The "Big Short" investor said Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft are less at risk if the bubble bursts. Burry compared AI to electricity and warned the US not to bet the farm on power-hungry chips. Michael Burry says he's betting against Nvidia instead of Meta, Alphabet, or Microsoft because the chipmaker is particularly vulnerable to the AI boom ending in disaster. Nvidia is "simply the purest play," Burry wrote in a Substack post last weekend. The company has become "entirely dependent on hyperscaler spending, and I do not see how that math works," he continued. The investor of "The Big Short" fame, who pivoted from running a hedge fund to writing online late last year, added that Nvidia is likely to "sell $400 billion of its chips this year and there are less than $100 billion in application layer use cases." "Nvidia also is the most loved, and least doubted," Burry wrote. "So shorting it is cheap." Burry also name-checked CoreWeave, a provider of cloud services built for AI and a strategic partner of Nvidia, calling it the graphics-processor giant's "pet." Nvidia's stock price has surged 12-fold since the start of 2023, making the graphics-chip maker the world's most valuable public company with a $4.5 trillion market capitalization. Nvidia did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Burry said that betting against Meta would mean he was "also shorting its social media/advertising dominance," and placing a wager against Alphabet would mean he was "shorting Google Search in all its forms, Android, Waymo, etc." He added that being short Microsoft would be tantamount to "shorting a global office productivity SaaS goliath," referring to the company's software-as-a-service tools, including Word and Excel. Those Big Tech titans aren't "pure shorts on AI" and have staying power, Burry wrote. "They will realize they should not be spending so much, write off assets, and possibly restate earnings," he said. "But they still are dominant companies globally away from the AI buildout." On the other hand, Burry said he would short OpenAI if it were a public company. He highlighted the ChatGPT maker's $500 billion valuation in October, which exceeds the market values of Johnson & Johnson, Bank of America, and Costco. Burry said he owns bearish put options on Oracle, and directly shorted the database company in the last six months. "I do not like how it is positioned or the investments it is making," he wrote, adding that the company, cofounded by tech billionaire Larry Ellison, is making unnecessary, inexplicable moves and "ego" might be the driver. Burry is famous for predicting and profiting from the collapse of the mid-2000s housing bubble, an episode of his career that was chronicled in the book and movie "The Big Short." He wrote on Substack that "technological obsolescence is on the menu as Nvidia now seems to introduce a new chip solution every year or less." That echoed a previous post in which he said Nvidia's Big Tech customers were overstating the lifespan of its chips to drag out their depreciation and flatter their short-term profits, raising the prospect of future writedowns. Burry also warned of trouble ahead, saying he's betting against AI stocks to "have the exposure on the right side when the music stops." Electricity and power Burry spoke about AI more broadly in his post, drawing a parallel between its rise and the history of electricity. He pointed out that building power plants and grids in the late 1980s and early 1990s required "massive upfront capital outlays," technological advances meant equipment such as transformers became quickly outdated and assets rapidly depreciated, and "cutthroat price warfare" between suppliers meant many ran into financial difficulties and were forced to merge with rivals. "What I see in electrification is very similar to what happened during the 2000 data transmission bubble and what I see happening with the AI bubble," he wrote. Burry said that electricity was as transformative to the modern world as a medicine that enables a patient to walk 10 feet, whereas AI "might be the anabolic steroid that allows superhuman feats of strength and ability," but could ultimately prove "more dangerous than anything." He also repeated his caution that if the US tries to win the AI race by going all-in on increasingly power-hungry chips, it will lose as China is ramping up its power-generation capacity much more quickly. "I see a big inventory problem in the AI buildout as a result of the current power generation setup," Burry said. Read the original article on Business Insider

2h
3 min
0
Read Article
Microsoft explains how it plans to keep energy prices down for Americans from its data center buildout
Technology

Microsoft explains how it plans to keep energy prices down for Americans from its data center buildout

Donald Trump and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Microsoft unveiled a five-point plan to reduce AI data center impact on US communities. The company aims to reduce rising utility bills and reduce infrastructure strain from data centers. Microsoft also made commitments to local job creation and AI training for residents. Microsoft's AI data centers need a lot of energy — and it doesn't want Americans to foot the bill. In a five-point plan shared on Tuesday, the tech giant explained how it would minimize the impact of its data center buildout on residents. Microsoft's commitments include asking utility companies and state commissions to set its electricity rates high enough to cover the cost of its data centers and keep costs down for local residents. Data centers are essential for powering AI models, but they have been increasingly putting a strain on US infrastructure. Data centers drove up utility bills in at least 13 states, Business Insider previously reported. Microsoft's five commitments are: Ask utility companies to set higher rates to cover electricity costs Minimize water use and replenish more water than it withdraws Create data center jobs for residents Pay its "full share" of local property taxes for data centers Invest in AI training for locals On Monday, President Donald Trump teased the announcement, writing in a Truth Social Post that tech companies must "pay their own way" so Americans don't have higher utility bills. He added that Microsoft would be "first up," suggesting that announcements from other tech companies may follow. Read the original article on Business Insider

2h
3 min
0
Read Article
🎉

You're all caught up!

Check back later for more stories

Back to Home