Relations between Germany and Iran

The relations between the Germany and the Iran were among narrowest between a European nation and Iran according to 1979. However, even before the Iranian Revolution, before and during the first era Pahlavi, Iran and Germany had the modest ones but nevertheless cordial relations. The dedication of Goethe to Hafez for its West-ostlicher Couch in 1819 mark the beginning of these relations. The official beginning of these relations was the opening of the first office of mission in 1952.

History of the relations

Before 1979

During the era Qajar, the colonial powers which were the Russia and the Great Britain became increasingly hated, especially after the Treaty of Turkmanchai and of Golestan and revolts it Large Ayatollah Mirza Hassan Shirazi at the time of the conflict opposing the Shah to the growers of tobacco in 1891. Many intellectuals started to be in search of a “third force” like potential ally.

Germany appeared ready to play this part at the end of the 19th century. During the Movement constitutionalist of Guilan, the German soldiers were very active in the military formation of the popular army of Mirza Kuchak Khan. The German agent in the most famous Persia (especially during the First World War) was Wilhelm Wassmuss, called German Lawrence

The bombardment of the Iranian Parliament by Russian and the Treaty of 1919 increased the resentment towards Great Britain and Russia. Hundreds of German engineers were employed in the installation of factories, the construction of roads, railways and bridges.

The Shah sought the assistance of German in his fight against the domination pétro-policy of Great Britain. In 1941, the Allies deposited Reza Shah and forced it to abdicate in favor of his/her son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Its following Fazlollah Zahedi and Mohammad Hosein Airom knew the same fate. Iran of post-war period could not escape the diplomatic influence from the United States, which prevented the deepening of the Iran-Germany relations, which however continued on the diplomatic and economic level. The nuclear plant of Bushehr was initially designed and built partly by the German company Kraftwerk Union of Siemens.

After 1979

In 1984, Hans-Dietrich Genscher was the first Western Foreign Minister to visit Iran after the Islamic revolution of 1979. But, after the revolution, several Iranian who immigrated or visited Germany was not accommodated favorably because of the events which proceeded in Iran. Although the West Germany gave a support essential as regards technology in Saddam Hussein during the Guerre Iran-Iraq, especially for the Iraqi program of chemical weapons, Germany preserved also relations open in industrial and civil technology sectors. After the war, Germany became more and more an essential business partner of Iran. It is currently the first with a figure with export towards Iran of 3,6 billion euro in 2004.

This situation risks more perdurer being given the current pause in the relations between Iran and the United States or Europe relating to the Iranian nuclear program. The relations were even more difficult after the assassinations at the Mykonos restaurant of Berlin, in 1992. And they risk to be it still more. Indeed, in 1999, a German, Helmut Hofer is stopped in Teheran after having had a sexual connection with an Iranian woman. In 2005, a German fisherman on vacation with the United Arab Emirates was stopped in the Persian Gulf and condemned to 18 months of prison for violation of Iranian territorial water. Moreover, the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad again complicated the relations by his remarks on the Jewish genocide.

The German chancellor Angela Merkel declared the February 4th 2006 at the time of the Annual conference of Munich on the security policy which the world was to act now to prevent Iran from acquiring the atomic bomb, evoking the history of its own country as reflection of what could occur when one does not put fine at the threats for peace.

“We want, we must prevent Iran from further going in its nuclear program” declared it in front of eminent personages of the field of safety and the policy, at the time of this conference. Mrs. Merkel made this speech the day when the IAEA (International agency for atomic energy) voted so that the Iranian position at the Safety advice of the United Nations is examined. “Now we see that certain times we could have acted differently” said it by evoking the German position lasting the 2nd world war. “Therefore Germany must clearly define what is allowed and what is not it”. Mrs. Merkel, avoiding the “politically correct” style, raising the voice of a tone full with frustration declared that Iran “had openly crossed the red line”, and not only compared to its international obligations as a power signatory of the nuclear Treaty of nonproliferation. She added that it was “unacceptable” that president Ahmadinejad denies the Jewish genocide (Holocaust) and says that Israel was to be “striped chart”. “A president who questions the right of Israel to exist, a president which denies the Holocaust cannot expect that Germany tolerates these assertions” stated it before being applauded “We learned our history”.

In February 2006, the relations worsened after the publication of a caricature in a German newspaper which depicted the Iranian team of football affublée of bombs fixed on their shirts (in 2005, Iran had already qualified itself for the World cup being held in Germany). Iran required excuses of Germany for this “insult”. Demonstrations coeds followed to protest against these caricatures by shouting “Merkel = Hitler”

Economic relations

In 2005, Germany was the most important market of Iran to export with an amount of 5,67 billion dollars (14,4%).

References

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