State Dept Representative: Iran to Conduct More Assassinations Due to EU Funding

23:06 GMT, 24 August 2018

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The EU decision to provide Iran with a $20 million will enable Tehran to conduct more assassinations in Europe, US State Department Special Representative Brian Hook said in a press release.

Sputnik

"The European Union’s August 23 announcement of a new $20.7 million payment that will ‘widen economic and sectoral relations’ between Iran and Europe sends the wrong message at the wrong time," Hook said on Friday. "More money in the hands of the Ayatollah means more money to conduct assassinations in those very European countries."

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23 August 2018, 21:51 GMT

Earlier, the European Commission endorsed the first batch of projects worth 18 million euros (about $21 million) to support Iran’s economic and social development. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the economic assistance for the EU-Iran joint projects was not part of the EU package for saving the Iran nuclear deal and not related to the US sanctions against Tehran.

Previously, President Donald Trump announced his decision to leave the JCPOA and re-impose sanctions against Tehran and third states doing business with Iran. The European Union along with other signatories to the nuclear deal, however, stressed their interest in preserving ties with Iran. EU has also amended its Blocking Statute to protect the interests of EU companies doing business with Iran.