Opposition spy devices banned from export to Iran

(B2) The foreign ministers of the "27" must adopt new sanctions against Iran. They will essentially aim at the preservation of human rights and at prohibiting the transfer of technologies making it possible to spy on and repress the opposition. According to the draft text seen by B2, it is a question of prohibiting the sale, supply, transfer and export of equipment " likely to be used for internal repression », a measure linked to the deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran. Prohibited products will be whether or not they come from the European Union". The main target is equipment that can be used for " monitoring or interception (...) of Internet and telephone communications via mobile or fixed networks in Iran, as well as the provision of assistance in order to install, operate or update such equipment or software ».

This measure is only a long series of sanctions aimed at bringing Iran on the one hand to the negotiating table on its nuclear installations (which is apparently done); on the other hand to limit its repressive capacities (this is the case here). The 27 recently banned “specialized financial messaging services, which are used to exchange financial data” (Swap system in particular), decision published in the Official Journal of March 15 (download here).