Germany and Iran: A Fatal Friendship?

The German-Iranian policies in view of the Iranian nuclear threat, antisemitism and human rights violations of the Iranian regime

Time: April 14, 2010, 6.00 pm     

Venue: New Synagogue Berlin, Oranienburgerstr. 28-30, Berlin-Mitte.

Introductory lecture: Matthias Küntzel, political scientist and publicist based in Hamburg and Author of „The Germans and Iran. The history and presence of a fatal friendship“ (2009).

Followed by a panel discussion with:

Matthias Küntzel

Oliver Thränert, expert for policies of security with focus on WMD and non-proliferation policies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin.

Moderator: Alex Feuerherdt, journalist from Bonn, co-founder of the weblog Free Iran Now! and co-editor of the anthology „Freedom Betrayed. The Uprising in Iran and the Western Response“ (2010).

Welcoming greetings: Lala Süsskind, head of the Jewish community in Berlin

                               Fathiyeh Naghibzadeh, co-founder of STOP THE BOMB.

Invitation:

While the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran holds on to its power with murderous brutality, it simultaneously continues to push ahead with its nuclear ambitions. That the goal of this program is primarily for military purposes is internationally widely acknowledged. The decisive role in the pursuit of this program by of the Revolutionary Guards makes this abundantly clear.

The epicentre of this threat is directed at Israel: During the past weeks, the threats  expressed by the Iranian leadership have steadily increased. “The godly promise is the destruction of the artificial, criminal, Zionist regime. And the big victory is near”,  Iranian president Ahmadinejad has said repeatedly. During several meetings and conferences with the Syrian president Assad; with Nasrallah, the general secretary of Hezbollah,  Hamas leader Mashal and representatives of other antisemitic and with Islamist terrorist organizations, the Iranian leadership coordinated their battle against Israel. But the Iranian regime does not only threaten Israel, since the “Islamic Revolution” has declared “that it knows no borders”. The real threat of Islamist acts of terror or devastation would be vastly increased by nuclear weapons in the hands of the Iranian regime. In addition, a foreseeable consequence of global proportions caused by a nuclear Iran would be the nuclear armament of many other states. This would present a drastically increased risk of nuclear crises worldwide. It would also fatally undermine the atomic non-proliferation treaty.

The goal of attaining nuclear power in essence serves the purpose of securing the power of a regime, which faces its most serious inner crisis since its foundation due to  the courageous and continuing protests ever since the rigged elections in June 2009.  Public events are regularly preceded by the execution of members of the opposition in order to intimidate the population.  Torture, arrests, rape, show trials, prohibitions and censorship are regular occurrences. And while the old elites of the regime continue to fight each other, the Revolutionary Guards are increasing their overall control of the Iranian the economy and government policies.

Along with the merciless repression of the freedom movement, the relentless continuation of the nuclear program and the antisemitic and anti-Western agitation, the Iranian regime has unmistakably revealed its destructive character and its determination to achieve its destructive goals. But what are the measures taken by the international community in general and Germany in particular? Do German policies back the freedom movement, or is the present goal a “strategic partnership” with the Mullah regime? Is the German industry actually pulling back from Iran, as some companies claim, or is trade continuing via other states or even directly with Iran?

The Jewish community in Berlin and the campaign STOP THE BOMB cordially invites you to discuss these and other questions.