In Case You Missed It: Europe Must Halt this Hypocritical Trade with Iran Op-Ed by UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, Appears in The [UK] Times Europe must halt this hypocritical trade with Iran This gravely insults the memory of their fallen countrymen By Mark D. Wallace The Times September 14, 2011 In the past year a growing consensus has emerged that Iran is training and arming Taleban insurgents responsible for hundreds of deaths of Nato soldiers in Afghanistan. Yet prominent European companies continue to do business with the Iranian regime. In March British Special Forces intercepted a Taleban convoy carrying dozens of 122mm rockets made in Iran. More recently, Taleban commanders told this newspaper that hundreds of insurgents have been to Iran for training in bombing and ambush techniques. Tehran has also supplied them with large quantities of IEDs. Last year was the bloodiest on record for Nato in Afghanistan: alongside heavy US and British losses, Italy and Germany lost 15 soldiers each, France 27. But while they were dying, corporations in their countries continued to do business with Iran. Consider Siemens. After the fallout from the engineering conglomerate's sale of surveillance technology to Iran during its crackdown on election protesters, it promised to end its business with the Islamic Republic. But Siemens' Iran revenue has jumped to almost $1 billion, much from sales to the state-dominated oil and gas sector. Eni, the Italian oil conglomerate, continues to invest in Iranian energy, including purchases of crude that amounted to $2 billion last year. The French shipping giant CMA CGM has been caught three times attempting to ship smuggled weapons to and from Iran, including mortar shells and missile components. European executives are fond of saying that these business activities don't technically violate EU or UN sanctions. Yet key sectors of the Iranian economy, such as energy and construction, are dominated by the Revolutionary Guards responsible for training international terrorist groups.These businesses are engaged in a hypocrisy that gravely insults the memory of their fallen countrymen. Under current EU sanctions, companies can purchase Iranian oil and gas without penalties. This must change. Europe must follow California in passing laws that stop companies receiving government contracts until they end business with Iran. European governments must pass laws that send a strong message to Iran that its deadly activities will not be rewarded. Mark D. Wallace is president of United Against Nuclear Iran and a former US Ambassador to the United Nations Click here to visit UANI's Model Legislation homepage. ### |
No comments:
Post a Comment