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Promoted from the diaries by streiff. Promotion does not imply endorsement.
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In early April, the Trump administration labeled Iran’s Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization. This action immediately put the European Union into frantic mode.  The ostensible reason for their panic is that this action would somehow threaten the never-signed, never-ratified Iranian nuclear accords to which the Obama administration agreed.  Earlier, of course, Trump pulled out of those accords.  The United States had, under Trump as well as under Obama and Bush, declared Iran the top international state sponsor of terrorism.  The real reason they panic is purely economic, not ideological.  Simply, they see Euro signs in front of their eyes and are attempting to navigate around sanctions imposed on Iran by the Trump administration.

They are selling their collective souls in favor of tyranny.  And they are fools!  Since agreeing to the nuclear accords, at least two Iranian dissidents have been assassinated on European soil in Holland.  In one case, the Dutch authorities definitely determined that the assassination was commissioned by the Iranian government.  An attack against a convention held in Paris in 2018 was foiled.  The French also foiled the planned bombing attack of a group of Iranian dissidents in Paris leading to arrests in Belgium, France and Germany, including an Iranian diplomat.

An organization- the EU- often prides itself on its commitment to human rights.  Yet, Iran is one of the greatest transgressors against human rights.  This has been confirmed by human rights groups from the liberal Amnesty International to conservative watchdogs.

With all the evidence against the Iranian regime in Europe, one would think that European leaders and the European Union would be joining the United States in their denunciations of Iran and their support for terrorism in Europe and throughout the Middle East.  Instead, their rank appeasement of the Iranian mullahs has simply made their countries less safe.

Ever since the nuclear accords were signed, Tehran has not been hesitant in their support for terrorism globally.  They have proxy terrorist militias in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.  They are the chief financial and logistical supporters of Houthi rebels in Yemen, of Hezbollah if Lebanon and Iraq, and of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.  Through their support of assassinations- real and attempted- and support of terrorist groups and actions, they are proving that despite the presence of nuclear accords or not, they will continue export terrorism to further their fundamentalist revolutionary goals.

In the aftermath of signing the nuclear accords, former UK Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond said: “We’ve got to distinguish between revolutionary sloganizing and what Iran actually does in the conduct of its foreign policy.”  We know what they publicly say and we know how they conduct their foreign policy.  If they could ever get beyond the Euro and dollar signs, they would see that they were played for fools by a regime that has no intention of giving up on the use of terrorism to further destabilize an already destabilized region of the world (the Middle East) and export their unique brand of revolutionary fundamentalist Islam throughout the world…including Europe.

Iranian leaders are making a mockery of the EU and European “leaders.”  The nuclear accords did not deter Iran from being the top state sponsor of terrorism.  They have continued their aggressive attacks on Saudi Arabia through their involvement in Yemen.  They have continued their aggressive attacks on Israel from the north via Lebanon and from the south via Hamas.  They have even continued attacks on the US through their actions in Venezuela.

Unfortunately for Iran, the only thing they seem to understand is an equally hard line response and in that area, only one person- Donald Trump- has been the leader.  The sanctions imposed after withdrawal from the nuclear agreement have hit the Iranian oil, shipping and banking industries the hardest.  Anyone who trades with Iran can no longer trade with the United States.  Seemingly harsh, it is nevertheless the only message the clerics in Tehran understand.  Cutting them down at their economic knees will prevent them from exporting terrorism and mayhem abroad.

Thus far, the US sanctions on Iran have been having an effect.  They are one of the primary financial backers of Syria, but announced recently that they can no longer extend credit to Damascus.  Syria, which relies on up to 60% of their energy needs from Iran, has not received a shipment of oil in months.  In fact, overall energy exports from Iran have decreased about 50% since Trump reimposed sanctions.  Their currency is collapsing as inflation is starting to run rampant.

Yet, the more the European Union appeases the Iranian regime, the more they embolden them to continue their ways.  Hence, the more Iranian-sponsored assassination attempts they will see on European soil.  Instead, they appear to support Iran’s rapacious behavior by turning a blind eye to the danger they are fostering.

For an organization so hell-bent on promoting human rights, they seem to bend over backwards to kiss the collective butts of robed mullahs in Tehran.  It leaves one with the unmistakable impression that the European Union cares less about human rights and thwarting the spread of terrorism, and a lot more about the bottom line and almighty dollar/Euro.  Yet, they have the perceived right to lecture the United States.  Shame on them and they share the blame for any innocent killed at the hands of Iranian sponsored terrorism and hegemony.