German Federal Railway: We Will Halt Activities in Iran

In connection with the return of sanctions against Iran, it was announced on Thursday, August 16, that the German Federal Railway Company (DB) will withdraw from its projects in Iran. A spokesperson for the German Federal Railway said on Thursday that the company is involved in two projects in Iran through one of its subsidiaries called "DB Engineering Consultants." According to Reuters, the unnamed spokesperson added that "both projects will be halted in the months of August and September [this month and next month in the Gregorian calendar] 2018." He continued: "Given that banking interactions have changed, we have tried to terminate the contract in a timely manner and conclude it satisfactorily." The German railway company signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation with the "Eastern Foundation" railway company (Ben-Rail), affiliated with the Foundation of the Oppressed, in May 2017. Officials from the "Eastern Foundation" at that time told the IRNA news agency that "the average age of the passenger wagons of this company has now reached about 11 years," and the memorandum with Germany aimed at modernizing the Ben-Rail railway fleet. The second project, which began about one to one and a half years ago, was a consulting contract for the Iranian state railway, which included the reconstruction and updating of the company's structure. The news of the German railway's exit from projects in Iran comes as Abbas Akhoundi, the Minister of Roads and Urban Development, recently stated on August 1 that "we hope to receive a proposal from the Germans for electrifying the Tehran-Tabriz railway, which will undoubtedly improve the rail situation on the route to Europe." On Thursday, Reuters also reported that Detecon, a subsidiary of T-Systems, the IT service company of Deutsche Telekom, has halted its business in Iran. Detecon provides consulting services to companies active in the telecommunications industry. A spokesperson for the company announced that "prior to the decision to stop Detecon's activities in Iran, the company's sales in Iran had reached about 300,000 euros in 2018." He added: "Given the global sensitivity in relations with Iran, Detecon will immediately cease its business in Iran in mid-May 2018." According to Reuters, this news comes shortly after Detecon's branch in the United States, T-Mobile, announced its decision to sign a $26 billion contract that requires approval from American lawmakers. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, who has increased pressure on the Islamic Republic, has called the new sanctions against Iran "the most biting sanctions" that have been approved so far. He recently wrote on his Twitter page: "Anyone doing business with Iran will not be able to do business with the United States. I want world peace, nothing less." He, who withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Iran, is calling for negotiations with Iran over a new agreement, but Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has declared any negotiations between Iran and the United States forbidden. The first phase of sanctions went into effect on August 7, and the second phase of sanctions will begin on November 4 of this year, and since it includes Iran's oil industry, greater losses are expected for Tehran. Several major European companies present in Iran left the country before the implementation of American sanctions. In this context, the German car manufacturer Daimler also announced that it would halt its business activities in Iran following the return of Washington's sanctions against Tehran. This news comes as Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, said on Wednesday that "expectations from the Europeans are much higher than this. They must pay a price for the continuity and preservation of the JCPOA, and this has not yet happened; that is, apart from political support, they must take operational actions." He emphasized: "The Europeans have one or two months until the main sanctions take effect, and as I said, they must pay a price, and currently, a positive trend is prevailing." The Iranian Foreign Minister stated: The Europeans are not doing this just for Iran, but the thought that is forming in the world is that countries have come to the conclusion that no one should decide for everyone based on personal interests.