Main focus of Tuesday, January 24, 2012

EU embargo corners Iran

EU is the biggest importer of Iranian oil after China.(© dapd)

In the nuclear dispute with Iran the EU resolved on Monday to cease imports of Iranian oil as of July 1 in a bid to force Tehran back to the negotiating table. But the sanctions could backfire as they hardly hurt Iran economically while leaving it no leeway to make concessions, the press writes.

Der Standard - Austria

With their current policy Europe and the US are making it too hard for Iran to make concessions, writes the left-liberal daily Der Standard: "It's time cooler heads came up with a strategy that will help Iran take a step back. The main contenders are Brazil and Turkey, whose governments have already worked out an admittedly poorly timed agreement with Iran in May 2010 according to which the country would deliver 1,200 kilos of slightly enriched uranium to Turkey, and receive in return 1,200 kilos of low-enriched uranium for medical research in a reactor in Tehran. Where the political will exists to give the other side enough room to reach an agreement, creative solutions can be found. But diplomats know that war can be preferable to humiliation. So saving face is just as important as menacing with violence. For that reason other countries should step in and ensure that both sides have enough leeway to avoid a head-on collision." (24/01/2012)

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Financial Times Deutschland - Germany

Although entirely consistent, the EU ban on the import of Iranian oil is counterproductive, writes the liberal Financial Times Deutschland: "Because the pressure from outside helps the regime in Tehran to divert attention from the disastrous situation within the country. This also has to do with the country's history. Back in 1951 there was an international oil boycott and then a CIA putsch. Ever since, the idea of foreign conspiracy has been a popular instrument in the hands of Iranian politicians. And hardly anyone in Iran, certainly not a candidate in the parliamentary elections in March, can afford to show a willingness to compromise when it comes to the nuclear programme. ... What is required is truly international action against the Iranian nuclear programme, an isolation that can't be perceived as initiated by the West alone. But this means convincing above all Russia and China of the need for joint action." (24/01/2012)

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Libération - France

The European sanctions stand little chance of hurting Iran, and could even strengthen its economy, writes the left-liberal daily Libération: "Sanction policies don't work and oil embargoes are even less effective because there will always be countries willing to buy. China in particular has strong demand and if it can buy more Iranian oil for less money it won't wait to be asked twice. India and South Korea are in the same situation. Iran may earn a little less money but that won't ruin its economy. People also tend to forget that Iran's non-petroleum exports, particularly to Iraq and Afghanistan, have been on the rise in recent years. Iran sells inexpensively manufactured goods, particularly low-quality textiles, to countries they are on good terms with, competing notably with Turkey. Paradoxically, this embargo could even help Tehran by encouraging it to become less dependent on oil." (24/01/2012)

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Sme - Slovakia

The sanctions imposed by the EU are morally justified but don't go far enough and perhaps come too late, writes the liberal daily Sme: "The fact that Iran's biggest trading partner will certainly not go along with them will seriously limit the impact of the sanctions. China buys roughly one quarter of Iran's oil exports, the Europeans not even a fifth. Even Russia, which supports Iran's nuclear programme and supplies weapons to its allies, will not take part in the sanctions. But the major problem is that the sanctions come late, perhaps too late. Tehran's nuclear programme is already well under way. ... And once it has a working nuclear bomb in its hands it will feel just as invulnerable as the rulers in North Korea." (24/01/2012)

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Magyar Nemzet - Hungary

The EU's oil embargo will escalate the conflict with Iran and can't be maintained for long, writes the right-wing conservative daily Maygar Nemzet: "It can't be ruled out that Iran will indeed block the Strait of Hormuz. ... Then a conflict is inevitable. There are already the first indications of such a scenario; an international fighting fleet has already arrived in the Persian Gulf. ... But for now there will be a lot of negotiating. ... And we shouldn't forget that Iran sells most of its oil to Asia. Although China is willing to reduce its oil imports, Japan plans to leave Iran alone. However in the long term there is no getting around Iran. After all, it's hardly likely that every single country will treat powerful Iran with its vast oil reserves like a pariah." (24/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Trade, » Politics, » Global, » Middle East, » Iran
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