French shipping company cuts trade ties with the Iranian regime

CMA CGM, the largest French shipping company, to pull out of Iran

 On Saturday, July 7, 2018, CMA CGM, the largest French shipping company, declared its decision to pull out of Iran to avoid running afoul of U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime. CMA CGM also operates the world third-largest container shipping fleet in the world, accounting for 11 percent of the global capacity.

Danish conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk, the leading shipping container company, declared its pullback from Iran’s market in May, following the Trump administration’s decision to leave the nuclear deal forged with the Iranian regime on grounds that the accord did not address the challenges posed by Tehran to world security and stability.

The regime relies on the services of firms such as CMA CGM and Maersk for the export of oil. Without their support, it will find it even harder to circumvent international sanctions.

CMA CGM’s decision comes at an especially unfortunate time for the Iranian regime. Last week, Hassan Rouhani, the regime’s president, headed for Vienna to negotiate with his European counterparts about how to keep the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), alive and maintain economic ties with Tehran in wake of U.S. sanctions.

The decision by CMA CGM shows that while European heads of state might try to save face and make statements about commitment to maintaining ties with the Iranian regime, the companies that have to implement those decisions are much more realistic in their decisions and prefer not to risk being in violation of international sanctions.

The episode once again shows the erroneousness of efforts to find compromises to benefit from Iran’s economy while avoiding to confront the regime on its terrorism intervention in neighboring countries and its human rights violations at home.

European states are also under an increasing pressure to put their economic interests before their moral obligations. In the Free Iran Gathering, the Iranian opposition’s large rally in Paris, numerous politicians from different countries criticized European governments for their disinterest in applying sanctions against the Iranian regime’s nefarious activities, especially as widespread protests across Iran are calling for the toppling of the regime.

What makes this all the more stinging for Tehran is that it’s happening against the backdrop of a number of setbacks that the Iranian regime has faced in the past weeks. Last week, the Belgian police foiled the regime’s terrorist plot to disrupt the Iranian opposition gathering. A diplomat and several operatives of the Iranian regime were arrested in the process, and investigations on the matter continue.

As more and more European companies continue to pull out of Iran, the Iranian regime is finding it harder and harder to use Europe as a shield in the fast expanding international movement to adopt a tougher policy against Tehran.

French elected officials continue backing Iranian opposition convention

French mayors and elected officials supporting Iranian opposition convention

 On the brink of this year’s Iranian opposition convention, scheduled for June 30^th in Paris, a new list of French mayors are heard expressing their support for the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy.

Mayor Neli Kerzak – “I have been elected mayor since July 1998, meaning for 20 years. I support those living in Iran, Iranians and especially Iranian women so they can finally enjoy equal rights as men, and little girls can go to school like boys and wear what they wish, worship as they wish, go to school and continue their studies. This is the freedom mentality that we have here in France and I wish to see them enjoy such mentality in their country. I invite my mayor colleagues and other elected officials to participate in the June 30^th rally.”

Mayor David Bulval – “I wish for much bravery for the struggle in Iran, for freedom, for democracy, for your organization and all those defending freedom.”

Mayor Martin LeGrand – “It is a great honor to support the movement for freedom in Iran. It is an honor to be informed a petition signed by 14,000 mayors has reached its intended result. I invite all of you to the June 30^th convention. I, too, will be freeing my time to participate there. I thank you all and congratulate you for your activities. Thank you.” 

Mayor Mari-Chantal Nouri – “I welcome the Committee in Support of Human Rights in Iran, most of whom are women and I am signing their petition for women’s rights. I wish you the utmost courage. Thank you.” 

Mayor Claude Persan – “I have signed the statement for a free Iran and to support the Iranian people’s struggle.”

Mayors & elected officials of Paris – On the verge of the Iranian opposition convention in Paris, French mayors and elected officials from Pairs and its outskirts are sending messages expressing their solidarity with the Iranian people’s uprising and resistance movement against the mullahs’ dictatorship.

These French elected officials are emphasizing the Iranian people’s uprising and its continuation in cities across the country signal an era of change aiming to establish freedom and democracy in Iran.

The signatories condemn the Iranian regime’s crimes inside the country and terrorist meddling throughout the Middle East, adding the Iranian people deserve to have a democratic government based on separation of church and state.

The signatories also reiterate how 14,000 mayors and elected officials in French support members of the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and their leading role in the struggle against the religious fascism ruling Iran, and emphasized on their support for the Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) as the democratic alternative for the mullahs’ regime.

See this website for more information about the Iranian opposition convention.