Europe ‘should be ashamed’ of skirting Iran sanctions, says Netanyahu

Israel’s prime minister slammed European countries for joining a body that would allow trade with Iran, despite U.S. sanctions.

By World Israel News and AP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday in a video statement that European countries “should be ashamed of themselves” for skirting U.S. sanctions to trade with Iran, designated as the world’s top state sponsor terror.

In the video statement, Netanyahu warned that European countries are enabling Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Last week, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden said they were joining INSTEX, a body designed to facilitate European trade with Iran.

INSTEX was created by Germany, France and Britain to coordinate import and export payments so European companies can do business with Iran despite U.S. pressure.

Iran has given INSTEX a cool reception in part because it doesn’t include vital oil trade.

In addition to evidence Israel has produced regarding Iran’s program to develop nuclear weapons, the Islamic Republic also funds and trains terror proxies throughout the region, despite severe economic woes on the domestic front that threaten the nation’s stability.

Among the terror armies that Iran supports are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen. In addition to striking out at so-called enemies of Iran, these factions brutalize local populations and battle the establishment or maintenance of democratic governments.