Israel Matzav

Sanctions? What sanctions?

Despite new rounds of UN and EU sanctions in 2010, German-Iranian export and import trade showed increases last year, according to an examination of new German government trade statistics last week by The Jerusalem Post.

The fresh data also revealed that Chancellor Angela Merkel's administration's approved 16 dual-use transactions with Teheran, which can be used for military and civilian purposes, and remain a major concern for the Israeli government because of the possibility that Iran can apply the equipment for a military application. Israel's Ambassador to Berlin Yoram Ben-Ze¹ev and Israeli security officials have over the years criticized flourishing German-Iranian economic relations, which provide sorely needed sophisticated technology to Iran's government.

Trade numbers from the German Federal Statistical Office reveal that German export trade to Iran increased from $4,159,920 billion dollars between January and October 2009 to $4,175,687 billion dollars during the same time period in 2010. The overall export and import trade data for November and December is not yet available, according to the office. Iranian imports to Germany climbed to $909,176 dollars between January and October 2010 when compared to $574,261 during the identical time frame last year.

Labels: German-Iranian trade, Iran sanctions regime

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:39 AM