German MEP Joachim Kuhs wrote in an article, published on 15 December on his website, that the European Union was giving financial aid to Iran for the persecution of Jews and Christians. It would be 13,000,000 euros, a transfer described as “humanitarian aid”. The claim turns out to be uncheckable.
Joachim Kuhs is a German Member of European Parliament and member of AfD since 2019. He also published a book on the AfD. On 15 December 2020, Kuhs posted an article on his website in which he cites various topics. According to him the original values of the EU are not always visible. He also cites that it is time for the Christian Democrats to adopt a more rational policy. “Especially in times of many Islamic attacks”, Kuhs continues.
Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Taliban
Kuhs writes: “Instead, the EU finances the persecution of Christians and hostility to Jews. Over the years, the EU has provided many tens of millions of euros to the Iranian mullah regime. Recently, a transfer of 13 million euro was ordered – despite increasing budget deficits, over-indebtedness and an even heavier tax and social security burden on the population within the EU”.
Whether Kuhs’ claim is true, we cannot say for sure. That 13,000,000 euros have gone from the EU to Iran is true. But what Iran exactly does with the money is not known. According to Kuhs, this money is passed on to terrorist organisations such as al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, the Taliban, …
Diplomats and deal
According to Tom Sauer, professor of Political Sciences at the University of Antwerp, it is humanitarian aid, which is followed up in Iran by European diplomats. “There is some sort of control on where the money goes. There are Belgian diplomats, and every EU country has an embassy in Iran”, Sauer says. “The money that has been transferred is described as ‘humanitarian aid’ on the transaction, but what exactly happens to that money is never certain.”
Sauer mentions another reason why Iran will probably not misuse the money: “This transfer of 13,000,000 euros is peanuts, compared to the new billion-dollar deal with the US that is planned. So, it is in the interest of Iran to spend the money correctly because it might not get more money in the future anymore”, Sauer says.
Conclusion
It is clear, the transfer was made with certainty. Where the money went afterwards, remains uncertain. “Apart from those involved, I think hardly anyone can say with certainty where the money went”, concludes Sauer. The claim of German MEP Joachim Kuhs is thus uncheckable.
RESEARCH | ARTICLE © AP University College Antwerp, Belgium
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