Germany is Iran's Largest Trading Partner

(IsraelNN.com) On the eve of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to Germany,

embarrassing figures have emerged about Germany and Iran. While German

chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken out against economic ties with Iran, statistics

show that Germany has become Iran's largest trading partner. Germany's Federal

Statistical Office has released data showing exports to Iran increased 10 percent in 2008.

Germany's exports to Iran reached $6 billion in 2008, close to the record it set in 2004

and 2005.

On November 27, 2008, German and Iranian business leaders began a conference

in Hamburg called “Iran Sanctions: Practical Consequence for German Firms.” The

purpose of the conference was to improve German business relations in Iran as well

as the German and Iranian political relationship. Angela Merkel's own administration has

subsidized investments in Iran by providing German firms with $400 million in credit

guarantees.

Meanwhile, on June 8, 2009, German petrochemical company

Basell Polyolefine signed a $1.3 billion trade deal with Iran to supply

technology to build three plants involving synthetic and plastic material. New reports

also suggest that the Iranian regime is using technology obtained from Siemens,

the German energy and engineering giant, and its partner, the Finnish communications

firm Nokia, to crack down on internet access, cell phone use,

and Twitter accounts of

protesters and dissidents.