Siemens Turns its Back on Iran, Tehran’s Challenge Goes to The Hague

Siemens Turns its Back on Iran, Tehran’s Challenge Goes to The Hague
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Siemens Turns its Back on Iran, Tehran’s Challenge Goes to The Hague

Siemens Turns its Back on Iran, Tehran’s Challenge Goes to The Hague

Iran’s legal challenge against renewed sanctions by the United States goes before the UN’s top court Monday, as Tehran seeks to avert painful punitive measures that could hurt its still fragile economy, AFP reported on Friday.

Tehran filed a suit against US President Donald Trump’s decision to reimpose economic sanctions at the Hague-based International Court of Justice last month.

The ICJ is expected to take a couple of months to decide whether to grant Tehran’s request for a provisional ruling, while a final decision in the case could actually take years, the news agency said.

Meanwhile, German industrial manufacturing giant Siemens said it was scaling back its Iran business after the reimposition of economic sanctions by the US, the German news agency dpa reported Friday.

The Munich-based company explained it would take appropriate steps "to bring business activities in Iran in line with the changing multilateral situation."

Siemens said it would continue to ensure compliance with all export restrictions and regulations "including US secondary sanctions.”

The US Embassy in Germany welcomed the news in a post on Twitter, pointing out that Siemens was not the only German company to leave Iran.

“We are pleased to see Siemens joining other German companies like deutschetelekom, Deutsche Bahn, and Daimler in leaving Iran,” the tweet said.

Last May, Siemens Chief Financial Officer Ralf Thomas told reporters the company would closely monitor the situation in Iran after Trump pulled the US out of a nuclear deal.

“We are assessing the implications of the Iran decision,” Thomas had said.

Trump slapped fresh punitive measures on Iran in early August after pulling out of the nuclear deal negotiated under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump accuses Tehran of financing terrorism.



US and Israel Condemnation of Sanctions on Ministers Is 'Predictable', Australia Says 

11 June 2025, Australia, Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses attendees during the official unveiling of the terminal building at Western Sydney International Airport in Sydney. (dpa)
11 June 2025, Australia, Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses attendees during the official unveiling of the terminal building at Western Sydney International Airport in Sydney. (dpa)
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US and Israel Condemnation of Sanctions on Ministers Is 'Predictable', Australia Says 

11 June 2025, Australia, Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses attendees during the official unveiling of the terminal building at Western Sydney International Airport in Sydney. (dpa)
11 June 2025, Australia, Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses attendees during the official unveiling of the terminal building at Western Sydney International Airport in Sydney. (dpa)

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said condemnation by the US and Israel of sanctions imposed on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers was "predictable", and that the two men had impeded a two-state solution.

Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Norway in a coordinated action imposed sanctions on Tuesday on cabinet ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that the US condemned the move, and Israel said the action by the five countries was "outrageous" and the Israeli government would hold a special meeting early next week to decide how to respond.

Albanese said the responses from Israel and the US are "predictable".

"The Israeli Government does need to uphold its obligations under international law and some of the expansionist rhetoric that we've seen as well is clearly in contradiction of that from these hard-line right-wing members of the Netanyahu government," Albanese said on Wednesday in an interview with ABC Radio Sydney.

Comments by the two men "have aided what is a serious impediment to a two-state solution", he added.

The sanctions freeze the assets and impose travel bans on Israel's National Security Minister Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Smotrich, both West Bank settlers, Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

"We, along with those other countries and the broader international community, believe we can only see peace in the Middle East when we deal with two states and when both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security," she said in a television interview with Seven.

Israel's Ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, wrote on X on Wednesday that the sanctions are "deeply concerning and entirely unacceptable".