Money talks, oil walks
, עודכן
Who said money talks in the EU?
Take Greece, for example. A country on the verge of bankrupcy, which is dependent on "old Europe" - France and Germany - for survival. Will Greece, as a result, fall in line with those states and agree to sanctions on Iranian oil, in the wake of the IAEA's damning report? Or at least agree to penalize the Iranian regime - if not for their nuclear program, at least for the attack on the British Embassy in Tehran on Tuesday? One can always dream.
The EU's foreign ministers did not reach an agreement on instituting a prohibition on the purchase of Iranian oil. Instead, they agreed to add 180 Iranian people and bodies to the European blacklist. The sanctions on these Iranians will include freezing their assets in Europe and prohibiting them from visiting EU countries. Anyone connected or subordinate to the Revolutionary Guard, which is responsible for the nuclear program, including the Iranian shipping company, which is on the list, will not be able to visit, for example, the Eiffel Tower. Tehran will have to make do with postcards.
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Keep in mind that Greece, which is mired in a severe economic and political crisis, is dependent on, among other things, Iranian oil. As far as it is concerned, such a sanction would only lead it one step closer toward total collapse. In this sense, Greece was Russia and China's trojan horse in the EU on Thursday. Italy, another country sagging under massive debts, is not sorry that one of the most effective sanctions did not pass.
Throughout the year, Greece and Italy were two of our greatest friends - until it came to economic interests. There is no doubt that the economic crisis in Europe, the unclear future of the euro and the precarious situation of Europe's banks have all played into the hands of Iran.
What amazing timing for putting the final touches on a nuclear project! Iran is able to ignore the world and build a bomb, allow the storming of an important Western embassy, oppress (in July 2009) an uprising using the most violent means, plan to eliminate the Saudi ambassador in Washington and even allegedly plan to attack American bases in Germany. And we have not even mentioned the support for terror organizations and the dark regime of Assad in Syria.
Perhaps the prohibition on visiting the Eiffel Tower is the most onerous European punishment, but it is certainly not effective or adequate. The French foreign minister apparently promised to continue the efforts. Maybe he thinks that the Iranians will not be able to visit the Arc de Triomphe, either.
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