BERLIN—In the race to secure business deals with Iran, Germany was quickest out of the blocks.
On Sunday, July 19, Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel became the first senior Western official to visit Iran following the July 14 agreement to ease sanctions on the Islamic nation in exchange for concessions on its nuclear program.
The three-day trip alongside German business leaders was criticized by Jewish groups and opposition lawmakers, who urged Germany to consider its special responsibility toward Israel, which considers the Islamic Republic a threat to its national security. Activists warned that Iran’s human rights record and support for President Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria should make Western governments think twice.
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