In a November 8, 2006 editorial titled "We Will Start Imposing Sanctions of Our Own," the conservative Iranian daily Jomhouri-ye Eslami, which is affiliated with the religious seminaries in Qom, denounced France for its participation in formulating the U.N. Security Council draft resolution on sanctions against Iran, and for its threat of a nuclear attack against Iran even as it profited from economic ties with it. The paper called for France's expulsion "from Iran's profitable markets" – a move that would serve as a warning to other countries as well.
The following are excerpts:
None of Chirac’s Threats of Nuclear Retaliation... Have Been Forgotten
"The issue of [of the negotiations] over Iran's nuclear dossier… has entered a new phase. In the past, England, France, and Germany would [send] 'fact-finding committees' to Tehran, ostensibly in order to negotiate and reach an appropriate solution with Iran. Later, as 'mediators,' they tried to unilaterally deprive us of our rights and give us empty promises in exchange. Today, they not only threaten [us], but have also begun to crave war, [and have become] even more drunk [with power] than America.
"None of the threats of nuclear retaliation [that have been made] by [French President] Jacques Chirac[1]... have been forgotten. France never even apologized [for this threat], never explained it, and never amended it. In fact, it chose to confront Iran in a manner that even America does not allow itself [to adopt]. Today, France is on the list of countries that are participating directly in formulating the draft resolution [regarding sanctions against us]...
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"It is important to understand that in the last few years, France has exploited Iran's profitable markets to the full, and is still trying to help itself to the lion's share of the tasty pie that is Iran's economy.
"Paris knows that it has gained a solid foothold [in Iran], [thanks to] the €25 million it has invested in Iran's economy over the last 15 years. But it is necessary to explain to the Paris leaders that they cannot grasp the stick at both ends... Mr. Chirac cannot deliberately wink both in the direction of our enemies [i.e. the U.S.] and in our direction, while plundering [the resources of] the Iranian people. If we closely examine our [trade] agreements [with France] regarding oil, [natural] gas, and the auto industry... [we see that] their terms one-sidedly favor the French speakers. A profit of over 60% [as guaranteed for France] in its [natural] gas contract [with Iran] should be more than enough to satisfy the French appetite. But what is insulting as well as malicious is that, under these circumstances, France is the only country that threatens Iran with a nuclear [attack]...
"With its daily increasing and irresponsible presence in the Iranian market, Paris is trying to guarantee its interests inside and outside Iran. If sanctions [against Iran] create no difficulties [for France], it will [continue] to benefit from Iran's profitable markets, and [thus to line] its deep pockets. On the other hand, if imposed sanctions [on Iran do create difficulties for France, it] will ask [the U.S. to compensate it] for the damages caused [by these sanctions] to the French economy, and Washington will grant it franchises in other areas [instead of Iran]..."
"The Day Will Come When Our Patience Will Run Out, and We Will Act As They Would Have Acted – Much Earlier – Had They Been in Our Shoes"
"We should warn [the French] and let them know that we have discovered their [true] intentions, and that we are aware [of the fact] that, for some time now, they do not deserve to have their unlimited presence in Iran's profitable markets. Let us expel France from Iran's profitable markets, and thus show it, as well as other countries, that economic ties with Iran have a price... The [fact] that Mr. Chirac covets Iran's food-laden tables, and at the same time participates in formulating the draft resolution for sanctions against Iran, is completely intolerable and unacceptable.
"Under these circumstances, we should consider a change in the one-sided benefits derived by France from its economic and industrial ties with us. [This] will make it possible to prevent further insolence [on France's part], while making it clear to [Iran's] other economic partners that there is a limit to our patience [in the face of] their irresponsible measures, and that the day will come when our patience will run out, and [then] we will act as they would have acted – much earlier – had they been in our shoes."
