In an article published in the French weekly Le Point, chairman of the Finance Committee of French Senate pointed to the restrictions against activities of French automobile manufacturer Peugeot Citroen in Iran and called for a review of the restrictions.

The French senator highlighted the activities of French companies in Iran and noted that the US hostile policies toward Iran should not be extended to countries such as France, which enjoy solid economic ties with the Islamic Republic.

Marini underscored the necessity for reconsidering the anti-Iran embargoes against the backdrop of the deteriorating situation of the French automobile industry and its adverse impact on its labor market.

He further denounced the imposition of sanctions against a great and powerful country like Iran, which shares mutual borders with several countries, as a futile measure.

In February 2012, Peugeot Citroen decided to end its trade with the Islamic Republic, losing half-million vehicle sales annually and an estimated 1.5 billion euros in revenue last year.

The company’s downward spiral since 2012 has already led to France’s first major industrial closure in two decades and some 8,000 layoffs.

The US, Israel and some of their allies falsely claim that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program, with Washington and the European Union using the unfounded allegation as a pretext to impose illegal sanctions on Iran.

Tehran strongly rejects the groundless claim over its nuclear energy activities, maintaining that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

NTJ/SHI