BERLIN – The Simon Wiesenthal Center called last week for a boycott of Royal
Dutch Shell gas stations because of the energy company’s increased import of
Iranian crude oil.
“We urge the public to avoid Shell gas stations and
give their business to companies that honor sanctions. Until Shell publicly
announces the cancellation of further crude oil purchases from Iran, all who are
concerned for world peace and human rights should leave Shell products on the
shelf,” said Dr. Shimon Samuels, head of the Wiesenthal Center’s
International Relations section.
RELATED:US enforces sanctions on Swiss-based Iranian subsidiaryUS set to impose sanctions on 8 Iranian officialsRussian FM: I oppose unilateral sanctions against IranThe Anglo-Dutch energy company has long
been accused of failing to be transparent about its Iran
business.
Samuels wrote in a letter to Peter Voser, Shell’s CEO, that
“reportedly, in the months immediately following the imposition of sanctions,
your company raised purchases by 27 percent, at the same time enjoying an
increased discount due to the ‘reputational risk’ for companies trading with
Iran.”
The Guardian newspaper reported on Monday that “sensitive trading
documents seen by the Guardian show the UK-registered company stepped up its
orders of Iranian oil at a time when other major buyers, including BP and
Reliance Industries, India’s largest conglomerate, halted orders amid impending
trade sanctions aimed at curbing Teheran’s perceived desire to acquire nuclear
weapons.”
Royal Dutch Shell has faced criticism from the Holland-based
Iran Committee, which seeks to promote human rights in the Islamic Republic and
to stop Iran’s drive to go nuclear.
Yanaï Bar, coordinator for the Iran
Committee, wrote by e-mail to
The Jerusalem Post on Thursday: “Though Shell’s
purchase of oil from Iran is not in breach of sanctions, it is not acting in the
spirit of those sanctions either. The point is to put the onus on the
regime of Iran for violating its obligations under the NPT (Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty), rather than expanding business ties with its
state-owned oil company.”
Bar added, “Such business deals only strengthen
the regime’s position and contravene the sanctions’ aim and impact. Businesses
like Shell have an ethical responsibility they should uphold. This is a point
the Iran Committee will also communicate to the new Dutch government, once it
has been installed.”
Samuels, from the Wiesenthal Center, said in his
letter to Shell’s Voser that “the once proud reputation of your parent, Royal
Dutch Shell, has been sullied by irresponsible greed. Your payment of
$1.5 billion this summer to Teheran enriched your coffers, but Shell arguably
may be perceived as now indirectly complicit in encouraging Teheran’s
weaponization program, its sponsorship of global terrorism and its repressive
abuse of domestic fundamental rights.”
Calls to Shell’s Group Media
Relations office in England were not immediately returned.
US Deputy
Secretary of State James Steinberg said on Thursday that Royal Dutch Shell had
“pledged to end their investments in Iran’s energy sector.”
However,
there was no mention of plans by Royal Dutch Shell to stop importing petroleum
from Iran.