The departure of the European and Asian companies undoubtedly will mean job losses for young Iranians. “I have a staff of 11 supermotivated women,” said one European executive who had built his office from scratch after his company returned to Iran in 2015. “It’s amazing to see how quickly employees here learn and adapt, “ the executive said. “Now, I have to let them all go. It physically hurts me to even think of that.”
Local Iranian employers are feeling the effects, as well. “We lost 20 percent of our customers last week, and 60 percent have put their work in Iran temporarily on hold,” said Ben Karami of I.C.A., an advertising company based in Tehran. His customers used to be Procter & Gamble, the global beauty company Coty and others. “We will lose a lot of expats and a lot of know-how,” he added.
“My employers, others where I was hoping to work, they might be leaving,” said Sanaz, 31, who is with a consumer products company. “Prices are high, most salaries — if you can find a job — low.”
Sanaz said she had no plans to join any protests against Iran’s leaders, as the Trump administration is hoping. “I was in protests in 2009,” she said. “That was a painful experience. If everyone comes out, I’ll join, but most probably I’ll tolerate the situation.”
Few European diplomats and analysts believe the new sanctions on Iran will have the impact that Mr. Pompeo, for one, seems to be hoping. And Washington is largely insulated from much of the impact.
“The Americans now want to destabilize Iran, but they won’t live with the consequences. We will,” said one European diplomat. He added that he doubted the sanctions would have much effect. But if they did destabilize the country, Europe would face the ramifications in migration and enhanced regional insecurity.
For now, the diplomat said, most European embassies are telling their companies to take their time. “We are telling them not to make any rash decisions and keep their business in place,” he said. “But, of course, they make their own decisions.”
Source : Nytimes
