Jewish and other groups have demonstrated in Siegen, Germany, to protest against a major business deal between a local gas technology company and Iran’s national gas corporation. The deal provides that Steiner-Prematechnik-Gastec (SPG) is to provide its expertise in turning gas into liquid fuel at three plants in the Islamic Republic. Under the slogan, "No Business with the Mullahs! Stop the Steiner Deal with Iran," participants voiced concern against the deal, which is reportedly worth US$ 156 million.
Israeli officials have questioned the deal and German chancellor Angela Merkel recently said that while the business did not formally contradict European and UN sanctions against Iran, it was morally and ethically wrong. Protesters said in a statement that "there must be no support for a regime that aims for nuclear weapons, denies the Holocaust and threatens Israel with destruction." Citing numerous human rights abuses in Iran, the groups, who also held a panel discussion in conjunction with the protest, lauded the French company Total and the Norwegian company Statoil for pulling out of projects in Iran.
"Putting economic and political pressure on the Iranian regime must be part of any serious attempt to stop its dangerous nuclear program by non-military means," their statement said . According to the organizers, supporting groups included the local pro-Israel-Initiative Never Again, the Berlin-based Green Party of Iran; Stop the Bomb; the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin, the left-wing youth organization BAK Shalom; the Zionist Organization of Germany, B'nai B'rith Europe and others.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that two major global energy companies are promoting business with Iran. The Austrian energy corporation OMV, and the multinational oil company Shell are sponsoring a conference in Tehran whose goal is to promote “gas export opportunities and potentials of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The conference is scheduled for 04-05 October under the auspices of Iran’s National Gas Export Company.
Read about the WJC's campaign to Stop the Iranian Threat
