EU pledges 18 million in aid to Iran, hit by US sanctions

Eight million are allocated to the private sector, another eight to finance environmental projects and two in the fight against drugs. Brussels renews its commitment to keep the nuclear pact alive. The Iranian Parliament fires the Economy Minister. The holder of the Defense flies to Damascus and meets Assad.

Teheran (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The European Union has allocated 18 million euros in development aid to Iran, in an effort to curb the effects of US President Donald Trump’s pulling out of the 2015 nuclear agreement (the JCPOA) and introduction of the toughest sanctions in history . This was announced by the head of the EU foreign policy, Federica Mogherini, confirming the commitment of the 28 countries to keep the atomic pact alive in spite of Washington.

For weeks Brussels has been engaged in an economic and diplomatic effort to keep trade links with the Islamic Republic alive. The 18 million allocation is part of a larger - and already approved - 50 million euro package of measures for the benefit of citizens.

The package - part of those "practical measures" requested by Teheran -  provides for the destination of eight million to the private sector, including aid to small and medium-sized enterprises and the National Chamber of Commerce. Another eight million will instead be used to support environmental projects; the last two will be used to combat the damage caused by drugs.

Also because of the new US sanctions, in the last period the Iranian economy has been hit hard and the weakest and most vulnerable part of the population are the first to feel the cponsequences. Hence the decision of the Iranian Parliament to expel Economy Minister Masoud Karbasian, following a vote of no confidence - three weeks after his colleague Ali Rabiei - because he is unable to handle problems in the banking, tax and production sectors.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami arrived yesterday in Damascus, for a two-day talks during which he met President Bashar al-Assad and his Syrian counterpart. At the center of the talks the fight against extremist and jihadist groups present in the territory and a renewed collaboration on the military level. "Not only the peoples of the region - said Hatami - but the whole world is in debt to Syria for the battles against the terrorists", hoping at the same time that the whole country will be "freed" and the displaced can return to their homes .

• iran
• european union
• syria
• united states
• sanctions
• nuclear
• war
• peace
• agreements
• economy