Europe Must Halt this Hypocritical Trade with Iran

In Case You Missed It: 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. ###

United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran should concern every American and be unacceptable to the community of nations. Since 1979 the Iranian regime, most recently under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's leadership, has demonstrated increasingly threatening behavior and rhetoric toward the US and the West. Iran continues to defy the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations in their attempts to monitor its nuclear activities. A number of Arab states have warned that Iran's development of nuclear weapons poses a threat to Middle East stability and could provoke a regional nuclear arms race. In short, the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran is a danger to world peace. United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition that is united in a commitment to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to become a regional super-power possessing nuclear weapons. UANI is an issue-based coalition in which each coalition member will have its own interests as well as the collective goal of advancing an Iran free of nuclear weapons. The Objectives of United Against a Nuclear Iran Inform the public about the nature of the Iranian regime, including its desire and intent to possess nuclear weapons, as well as Iran's role as a state sponsor of global terrorism, and a major violator of human rights at home and abroad; Heighten awareness nationally and internationally about the danger that a nuclear armed Iran poses to the region and the world; Mobilize public support, utilize media outreach, and persuade our elected leaders to voice a robust and united American opposition to a nuclear Iran; Lay the groundwork for effective US policies in coordination with European and other allies; Persuade the regime in Tehran to desist from its quest for nuclear weapons, while striving not to punish the Iranian people, and; Promote efforts that focus on vigorous national and international, social, economic, political and diplomatic measures. UANI is led by an advisory board of outstanding national figures representing all sectors of our country