The European Union's fickle approach toward Iran has become rather confusing. What message does the 28-nation bloc send to the world when it sanctions, annuls, and then re-sanctions a country that backs terror and is held directly responsible for taking countless lives?
Iran's Bank Tejarat and numerous shipping firms which were sanctioned in the past were no longer sanctioned as of January when Europe’s second-highest court order found the legal grounds given by the EU faulty. Now, only days after an international agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme was reached, the EU decided to re-impose its sanctions on the country.
In its reasons for re-freezing Bank Tejarat's assets, the EU listed a number of reasons for taking these measures, including the fact that the bank:
The steps the EU has taken indicate that it will maintain sanctions on Iran until a nuclear deal will be, purportedly, attained on June 30th. The six world powers met in Switzerland last week and finally came to a conclusion regarding the seemingly endless clashes caused by Tehran’s nuclear aspirations and advancements.
Iran and the international powers signed an accord confining Tehran's nuclear programme and in exchange the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany are to rescind the economic sanctions imposed by the UN. Under the deal, Tehran must abstain from developing nuclear weapons.
But as the US, EU and UN sanctions are progressively lifted, the world is likely to find itself in a back to square one situation, with an Iran free to fund terror the world over.
Iran's Bank Tejarat and numerous shipping firms which were sanctioned in the past were no longer sanctioned as of January when Europe’s second-highest court order found the legal grounds given by the EU faulty. Now, only days after an international agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme was reached, the EU decided to re-impose its sanctions on the country.
In its reasons for re-freezing Bank Tejarat's assets, the EU listed a number of reasons for taking these measures, including the fact that the bank:
- provided significant support to the Government of Iran by offering financial resources and financing services for oil and gas development projects
- procured prohibited goods and technology
- Transferred millions of US dollars spent to manufacture the chemical concentrate of natural uranium
The steps the EU has taken indicate that it will maintain sanctions on Iran until a nuclear deal will be, purportedly, attained on June 30th. The six world powers met in Switzerland last week and finally came to a conclusion regarding the seemingly endless clashes caused by Tehran’s nuclear aspirations and advancements.
Iran and the international powers signed an accord confining Tehran's nuclear programme and in exchange the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany are to rescind the economic sanctions imposed by the UN. Under the deal, Tehran must abstain from developing nuclear weapons.
But as the US, EU and UN sanctions are progressively lifted, the world is likely to find itself in a back to square one situation, with an Iran free to fund terror the world over.