The current US administration is expressive a great deal of dismay towards the unwillingness of European countries to enforce their unlawful and immoral sanctions. Right now several European powers are joining the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) system in order to facilitate trade with Iran.  The program is intended to “facilitate legitimate trade between Europe and Iran,” as was announced by several of the countries. Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden have refused to comply with US demands for a total economic blockade.

This stems from the US’ decision to unlawfully withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) last year under allegations that Iran had violated the agreement. No evidence was presented of this supposed violation. Since then the US has been on a mission to cause as much damage to the Iranian economy as possible. The European signatories to the deal have rejected the accusations by the US and have continued to remain within the agreement, if only half-heartedly.

This decision by the six European countries to formulate this method of facilitating trade is due to the fact that the US controls the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) banking system.  They have excluded Iran unjustly in order to cause economic damage. Thus, the Europeans have devised an alternative banking system to keep up trade, for the most part.

The Europeans have done so to encourage Iran to remain within the JCPOA and continue its commitment not to produce nuclear weapons. Something Iran has always shown a willingness to do.

Richard Grenell, the US Ambassador to Germany was irate at the news of the agreement between the European countries. He bemoaned them, “Terrible timing – why fund the Iranian regime while its[sic] killing the Iranian people and shutting off the internet? You should be standing for human rights not funding the abusers.” A wholly ironic comment coming for the country with a terribly murderous and racist police force, and a country that has murdered hundreds of millions for profit.

If the US cared about this so-called abuse of power by the Iranian government, actually cared about the Iranian people, they wouldn’t have blockaded food and medical supplies from the count. This alone hurts many more people than the current US-instigated rioting does. In what manner can we consider the US to be this champion of human rights?

In my opinion, Iran should forgo any discussions with the US and build nuclear weaponry. Iran has a right to defend itself from US aggression, and thus morally should have the means to do so. Every oppressed country has the right to defend themselves from the imperialist countries. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has placed great emphasis on national defense because it needs to. As a result, you have a country the US is afraid to invade. They want to dialogue with the DPRK because they can defend themselves. Bolivia was able to be overthrown by US interests partially due to a lack of defence. Nicholas Madruo, president of Venezuela, has seen these events and recently announced a plan to give 320,000 rifles to worker/peasant militias to defend the country.

The Europeans are right to ignore US demands to harm Iran. And Iran should arm itself in order to defend itself.