Time and again, politicians from EU Member States claim to want to secure trade with Iran.
For this they will regularly declare how important their relations with Iran are.
A special role in this has the trade.
Again and again it is promised to maintain the trade and to break away from the dictates of the US government, most recently with Instex.
In fact EU member states' dealings with Iran are under the supervision and control of the US government.
In 2006 SWIFT itself admitted that for years secret information had been provided to US authorities. According to the US government this was done only in the search for terrorists. [3] [4] For the dissemination of the data SWIFT was awarded the negative prize Big Brother Award in Germany and Austria. [5] And in October 2006 it was announced that the management of the allegedly independent external consultants Booz Allen Hamilton consists among others of ex-CIA chief James Woolsey and ex-NSA Director John Michael McConnel. [6] [7]
In 2009 the EU negotiated an additional agreement on the transfer of bank data with the US government under the guise of combating terrorism which makes spying a routine. The EU gave the US government access to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) via the recently opened data center in Switzerland. [8]
And at the latest since the NSA affair and the publications of Edward Snowden from 2013 it is known that the NSA maintains an international spying program. Edward Snowden's documents show that the US government is spying on SWIFT on multiple levels. [9] [10] [11]
However the creation of INSTEX is probably not sufficient to substantially support trade with Iran as the food, drug and other aid supplies are mostly channeled through INSTEX. For this purpose deliveries of Iranian and European exporters are billed together so INSTEX functions like an exchange. Iran's oil business however which is hit by US sanctions will not benefit from INSTEX. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]
[1] SWIFT
https://www.swift.com/
[2] About US
https://www.swift.com/about-us
[3] Belgian PM: Data Transfer Broke Rules 2006-09-28
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092800585.html
[4] Unterlaufen die USA auch das deutsche Bankgeheimnis? 2006-07-18
https://www.golem.de/0607/46566.html
[5] Big Brother Awards 2006 - Kultus- und Innenminister räumen ab 2006-10-20
http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/big-brother-awards-2006-kultus-und-innenminister-raeumen-ab-a-443749.html
[6] SWIFT: Unabhängige Berater von der CIA 2006-10-03
http://www.fuzo-archiv.at/artikel/140944v2
[7] Europe Panel Faults Sifting of Bank Data 2006-09-26
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/us/26swift.html
[8] SWIFT - Brüssel hebelt Schutz von Bankdaten aus 2009-07-20
https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/swift-bruessel-hebelt-schutz-von-bankdaten-aus/3222950-all.html
[9] 'Follow the Money' - NSA Spies on International Payments 2013-09-15
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/spiegel-exclusive-nsa-spies-on-international-bank-transactions-a-922276.html
[10] Reaktion des EU-Parlaments auf NSA-Aktion - Wird SWIFT-Abkommen ausgesetzt? 2013-10-23
https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/swift180.html
[11] Hackers release files indicating NSA monitored global bank transfers 2017-04-14
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-swift-idUSKBN17G1HC
[12] BUSINESS - Germany probes huge Iran cash transfer request 2018-07-10
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-probes-huge-iran-cash-transfer-request/a-44595446
[13] 300.000.000 EURO IN BAR: Irans Bargeldwunsch steht vor dem Aus 2018-08-02
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/deutsche-bundesbank-verhindert-bargeldwunsch-von-iran-15718441.html
[14] TOUGHENING UP - Bundesbank falls into line on US Iran sanctions 2018-08-03
https://www.handelsblatt.com/today/finance/toughening-up-bundesbank-falls-into-line-on-us-iran-sanctions/23582940.html
[15] UK, France and Germany create payments system to trade with Iran 2019-01-31
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47072020
[16] ZAHLUNGSVERKEHR - So will Europa die Iran-Sanktionen der USA umgehen 2019-01-31
https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/zahlungsverkehr-so-will-europa-die-iran-sanktionen-der-usa-umgehen/23932422.html
[17] Handel mit dem Iran - EU sagt INSTEX Unterstützung zu 2019-01-31
https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/instex-iran-103.html
[18] 3 European Nations Create Firm to Trade With Iran, but Will Anyone Use It? 2019-01-31
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/world/europe/europe-trade-iran-nuclear-deal.html
[19] What is the EU-Iran payment vehicle INSTEX? 2019-01-31
https://www.dw.com/en/what-is-the-eu-iran-payment-vehicle-instex/a-47306401
[20] INSTEX: Europe sets up transactions channel with Iran 2019-01-31
https://www.dw.com/en/instex-europe-sets-up-transactions-channel-with-iran/a-47303580
[21] Iran: EU and Trump mark divorce on world stage 2019-02-01
https://euobserver.com/foreign/144066
SWIFT
SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) is an organization founded in 1973 in Belgium for global banking news. SWIFT standardizes the message traffic between banks. SWIFT does not keep accounts and does not settle payments. [1] [2]In 2006 SWIFT itself admitted that for years secret information had been provided to US authorities. According to the US government this was done only in the search for terrorists. [3] [4] For the dissemination of the data SWIFT was awarded the negative prize Big Brother Award in Germany and Austria. [5] And in October 2006 it was announced that the management of the allegedly independent external consultants Booz Allen Hamilton consists among others of ex-CIA chief James Woolsey and ex-NSA Director John Michael McConnel. [6] [7]
In 2009 the EU negotiated an additional agreement on the transfer of bank data with the US government under the guise of combating terrorism which makes spying a routine. The EU gave the US government access to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) via the recently opened data center in Switzerland. [8]
And at the latest since the NSA affair and the publications of Edward Snowden from 2013 it is known that the NSA maintains an international spying program. Edward Snowden's documents show that the US government is spying on SWIFT on multiple levels. [9] [10] [11]
Bundesbank
The German Central Bank (Bundesbank) has tightened its terms and conditions after the request of an Iranian bank requestet more than 300 million euros in cash. According to this in justified individual cases it may request statements and assurances for cash transactions that inform about the purpose of the intended transaction. It may also deny financial transaction in order to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing if there are reasonable doubts. Meanwhile business with Saudi Arabia continues undisturbed. [12] [13] [14]Instex
In January 2019, the German-French-British special-purpose entity INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) was founded. INSTEX is designed to ensure the settlement of claims from Iran export and import without having to resort to the banks prone to sanctions. According to their own statements Germany, France and Britain want to help to save the international nuclear agreement with Iran. The agreement is threated after the reintroduction of US sanctions since Iran was promised to waive its nuclear program to lift economic sanctions. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]However the creation of INSTEX is probably not sufficient to substantially support trade with Iran as the food, drug and other aid supplies are mostly channeled through INSTEX. For this purpose deliveries of Iranian and European exporters are billed together so INSTEX functions like an exchange. Iran's oil business however which is hit by US sanctions will not benefit from INSTEX. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]
[1] SWIFT
https://www.swift.com/
[2] About US
https://www.swift.com/about-us
[3] Belgian PM: Data Transfer Broke Rules 2006-09-28
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092800585.html
[4] Unterlaufen die USA auch das deutsche Bankgeheimnis? 2006-07-18
https://www.golem.de/0607/46566.html
[5] Big Brother Awards 2006 - Kultus- und Innenminister räumen ab 2006-10-20
http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/big-brother-awards-2006-kultus-und-innenminister-raeumen-ab-a-443749.html
[6] SWIFT: Unabhängige Berater von der CIA 2006-10-03
http://www.fuzo-archiv.at/artikel/140944v2
[7] Europe Panel Faults Sifting of Bank Data 2006-09-26
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/us/26swift.html
[8] SWIFT - Brüssel hebelt Schutz von Bankdaten aus 2009-07-20
https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/swift-bruessel-hebelt-schutz-von-bankdaten-aus/3222950-all.html
[9] 'Follow the Money' - NSA Spies on International Payments 2013-09-15
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/spiegel-exclusive-nsa-spies-on-international-bank-transactions-a-922276.html
[10] Reaktion des EU-Parlaments auf NSA-Aktion - Wird SWIFT-Abkommen ausgesetzt? 2013-10-23
https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/swift180.html
[11] Hackers release files indicating NSA monitored global bank transfers 2017-04-14
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-swift-idUSKBN17G1HC
[12] BUSINESS - Germany probes huge Iran cash transfer request 2018-07-10
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-probes-huge-iran-cash-transfer-request/a-44595446
[13] 300.000.000 EURO IN BAR: Irans Bargeldwunsch steht vor dem Aus 2018-08-02
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/deutsche-bundesbank-verhindert-bargeldwunsch-von-iran-15718441.html
[14] TOUGHENING UP - Bundesbank falls into line on US Iran sanctions 2018-08-03
https://www.handelsblatt.com/today/finance/toughening-up-bundesbank-falls-into-line-on-us-iran-sanctions/23582940.html
[15] UK, France and Germany create payments system to trade with Iran 2019-01-31
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47072020
[16] ZAHLUNGSVERKEHR - So will Europa die Iran-Sanktionen der USA umgehen 2019-01-31
https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/zahlungsverkehr-so-will-europa-die-iran-sanktionen-der-usa-umgehen/23932422.html
[17] Handel mit dem Iran - EU sagt INSTEX Unterstützung zu 2019-01-31
https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/instex-iran-103.html
[18] 3 European Nations Create Firm to Trade With Iran, but Will Anyone Use It? 2019-01-31
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/world/europe/europe-trade-iran-nuclear-deal.html
[19] What is the EU-Iran payment vehicle INSTEX? 2019-01-31
https://www.dw.com/en/what-is-the-eu-iran-payment-vehicle-instex/a-47306401
[20] INSTEX: Europe sets up transactions channel with Iran 2019-01-31
https://www.dw.com/en/instex-europe-sets-up-transactions-channel-with-iran/a-47303580
[21] Iran: EU and Trump mark divorce on world stage 2019-02-01
https://euobserver.com/foreign/144066