As of: February 5, 2024, 11:46 a.m
By: Amy Walker
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New research reveals how Iran evades international sanctions.
Companies based in Düsseldorf play a central role here.
Berlin – The Iranian government is using two Düsseldorf-based companies to circumvent Western sanctions and thus get its hands on money as well as goods and goods that can be used for uranium enrichment.
This is the result of new research by
WDR
and
Süddeutscher Zeitung
.
The sanctions against Iran are now being imposed for different reasons.
On the one hand, measures were imposed in connection with Tehran's nuclear program, but on the other hand, sanctions are also in force for human rights violations and for military support in the Ukraine war.
Russia has been proven to be using Iranian drones in its war of aggression against Ukraine.
The sanctions are putting enormous economic pressure on Iran - which is why new ways of still doing international business are being sought.
Iran does international business despite sanctions
Iran's efforts to buy or sell certain goods on the international market despite Western sanctions have long been observed by Western security authorities.
One holding that has been in the US' sights for at least ten years is Ghadir Investment Holding (GIH), which is listed on the Iranian stock exchange and brings together a network of over 100 internationally active companies.
According to the authorities, these companies aim to continue to obtain sanctioned goods (particularly those that can be used in uranium enrichment) and/or to sell energy despite sanctions in the West.
Through the GIH, Iran has also managed to double the regime's oil revenues in the past two years.
It is not clear where exactly the money from the oil business in Iran flows;
However, the USA had already spread the theory in 2013 that the money should be “shielded from the eyes of the Iranian people and international regulatory authorities”.
Whether it is used to enrich individual regime supporters or flows into secret military projects remains a secret.
Two companies in Düsseldorf handle Iranian business
One of the companies that is said to be part of the GIH network is based in Düsseldorf.
The company GIC International GmbH, which was founded in 2012, is supposed to handle international business for Tehran in Germany.
Between 2017 and 2021, the company is said to have generated sales of 600 million euros.
According to information from
SZ
and
WDR,
the company is already in the sights of the German security authorities.
They probably haven't been able to detect any criminal acts yet - but the Iranians find it a thorn in their side that GIC International is being watched.
“Unfortunately, regulators in Germany discovered GIC’s connection to the Ghadir Investment Company in Iran,” says a transcript quoted by
WDR
.
The flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
© Monika Skolimowska/dpa
For this reason, a new company was founded that will operate in Germany without any apparent connection to Iran and Ghadir Investment.
The company, also based in Düsseldorf, is called Elitco - and when the company was founded, careful attention was paid to ensuring that no connection was recognized between it and the Iranian Ghadir Investment.
It is also intended to serve as a model for other front companies that the regime wants to conduct business unobserved in the future.
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When asked, the GIC denied the reports.
As
tagesschau.de
reports, the company writes in a statement: “Our suppliers of raw materials and fertilizers are internationally positioned.
We act in full compliance with German and EU regulations.
GIC has no connection with any government organizations.”