Germany’s top-selling paper Bild wants a halt to all bi-lateral E.U. trade with the Islamic Republic of Iran because of its support for global terrorism and commitment to the destruction of the Jewish state of Israel.
“This Iran cannot at this time be an ally,” Bild‘s foreign policy editor Julian Röpcke wrote on Monday. “Neither in the fight against terrorism, nor as as oil supplier or trade partner.” Röpcke, who reports on the Syrian war, described recent missile attacks by Iran as delivering a “message of terror. Because they carry the meter-long inscriptions ‘Death to Israel and ‘Death to the USA’ — and that is deadly serious for the mullahs.”
Röpcke wrote that Iran’s rockets were not fired against Islamic State terrorists, “rather against those who stand in the way of the corrupt regime in Tehran. Against those who do not want to stand inactively by when Iran’s leader again and again propagates the ‘extermination’ of Israel.” Bild has a daily circulation of 1,580,977.
U.S. President Donald Trump has already announced the reimposition of his country’s sanctions on trade with Iran, signing an executive order in August to end an agreement first brokered by Barack Obama.
Since then the European Union (E.U.) has been looking at ways and means to work with Iran to ensure the Trump ban can be evaded.
It announced last month it was working with its members to set up a payment system to allow oil companies and businesses to continue trading with Iran.
E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, speaking at the United Nations alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, said the countries were still working out the technical details.
“In practical terms, this will mean that E.U. member states will set up a legal entity to facilitate legitimate financial transactions with Iran and this will allow European companies to continue to trade with Iran in accordance with European Union law and could be open to other partners in the world,” she told reporters.
The E.U.’s determination to maintain trade links comes as Iran continues to use the Syria civil war as a test bed for its long-range missile capabilities.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched six ballistic missiles as well as drone bombers early Monday toward eastern Syria, targeting militants it blamed for an attack on a military parade last month.
As Julian Röpcke noted, the weapons were covered in anti-America, anti-Israel slogans.
“This is the roaring of missiles belonging to the Revolutionary Guard of the Islamic Revolution,” a state TV reporter said as the missiles launched behind him. “In a few minutes, the world of arrogance — especially America, the (Israeli) Zionist regime and the Al Saud — will hear the sound of Iran’s repeated blows.” Al Saud is a reference to Saudi Arabia’s royal family.
One missile shown on Iranian state television bore the slogans “Death to America, Death to Israel, Death to Al Saud.”
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