SANCTIONS

The purpose of economic sanctions, be it multilateral or unilateral, is basically to to inflict suffering on a target country to force its government or regime to change its objectionable policies or behaviors.

Historically, economic and political experts have argued that economic sanctions have a poor track record and their impact in the case of specific governments has not been so ideal. Most of the time, it is not the governments that feel the hardship because normally the pressure is easily passed on the people.

The political relations and animosity between the U.S. administration and the Islamic government is besides the point of this article and would not be discussed here. This article is about the people, the real innocent and simple human beings, about the mothers and fathers who, every now and then, tragically lose their sons and daughters in an air-crash in Iran, in a series of disastrous incidents that there would be no end to it, unless some drastic actions are taken.

The people in mind here are the men, women and children who have been and still are being deprived of safe air travel. The governments’ obligations under international human rights and humanitarian laws, are to respect human rights and avoid loss of life. Therefore, putting the people’s lives at risk by refusing to sell them aircraft and spare parts is as immoral and unjustified as to intentionally deny them food and medicine to let them die.

Proponents of human rights in the so called civilized countries should avoid imposition of sanctions that would deny the basic human rights of the civilian people in the target countries. In conclusion, no citizen of the world should be victimized because of their government’s wrong doings; in other words, imposition of sanctions on a country should be focused on punishing the governments, but not the people.

Simply put, no one should hate and penalize American people for the wrong doings of their administration. Therefore, Iranian lives should not be put at risk by denying their airlines the necessary spare parts and aircraft.

The first Iran Air Boeing aircraft, a B727, was delivered as early as June 7, 1966 and the last one, a B747, on September 9, 1977. In other words the life of Iran Air Boeing airplanes is between 31 to 42 years. The age of Iran Air's Boeing fleet have been prolonged by procuring costly spare parts through third parties, cannibalizing, and rigorous maintenance performed by Iranian engineers; but the question is how reliable and airworthy these airplanes could be and are they safe enough to guarantee the necessary safety of their passengers? No one is in a position to provide assurance. Just recently, the head of Iranian civil aviation, who very well knows the existing commercial fleet in Iran and has their records, very bluntly said, “Every day and night, I am praying to God to prevent our aircraft incidents.”

The prohibition of Boeing sales of aircraft and spare parts as a result of U.S. imposed economic sanction has deprived Iranian aviation from buying modern western commercial aircraft and has compelled Iran Air’s subsidiary, Iran Airtour, as well as many other Iranian airlines to buy or lease unsophisticated, often old and dubious, Russian aircraft, which so far since 1978 has claimed hundreds if not thousands of innocent human lives in Iran.

The new airplanes, as I have mentioned in my book, The History of Iranian Commercial Aviation, published in 2007, is not meant to abolish all the Iranian aviation woes. Obviously, the country’s airline industry has its own many shortcomings; therefore, the Boeings or for that matter any new airplanes will not solve their entire dilemma, however, it will at least eliminate their management’s biggest excuse for all their grievances.

Iran Air for eleven years used to be a good customer of and for many good reasons preferred Boeing over its competitors. In 1977 when for the first time, the airline reluctantly purchased 6 Airbus A300s, Iran Air management at the time knew very well that using multiple equipment was not right and beneficial to the company, yet had no choice but to follow the government’s order. Now, it is totally unfair, that Iran Air advocacy for Boeing and its preference over other manufacturers’ to be used as a weapon against the airline and being denied the lawful supply of new aircraft and spare parts.

Fifteen years ago, on April 10, 1993, International Herald Tribune under “Boeing Seeks Sales to Iran” wrote, “Washington: The white House said Friday that it was reviewing a request by Boeing Co. and General Electric Co. to pursue sales of passenger jets in Iran, despite a U.S. ban on trade with that country.” The newspaper continues, ‘“we are reviewing it,” Dee Dee Myers, White house press secretary, was quoted as saying by Reuters. “We’ll take a look at it out of fairness to the industry.”’ This is a typical broken promise by the administration. Incidentally, what was a necessity 15 years ago is now a real emergency and a matter of life and death for the Iranian travelling public.

According to the Herald Tribune of December 14, 2005, “…a report prepared for the International Civil Aviation Organization warned that U.S. sanctions against Iran were placing civilian lives in danger by denying Iranian aviation necessary spare parts and aircraft repair. The report, written by a Canadian contractor, had been requested and paid for by Iran, agency officials said, but Iran had no role in writing it.

The report did not deal with military aircraft, but it said that the U.S. government and major U.S. companies were ignoring international treaties and taking actions that put passengers on Iranian commercial airlines at risk, including thousands of people from other countries traveling to and from Iran.”

The Herald Tribune writes, when asked for comments, “The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of not being identified by name, said that if any Iranian civilian aircraft were unsafe to fly, it would be the responsibility of civil air authorities in Iran to keep it grounded.“ With thanks to the unidentified official for his genius idea, it seems that the person even didn’t know the size of Iran and its population, otherwise, he would have not made such a suggestion.

In the same article, Herald Tribune writes, “In all discussions, Dr. Kotaite always recognized the commitment of the United States to ensure the safety of airline operations, and that this was the guiding principle during the present negotiations," the statement said. "When the United States was convinced that safety was in jeopardy, they allowed spare parts to be delivered."’ And continues, “The lack of concern for aviation safety is surprising in intensity and vigor," the report said, "Since most Iranian aircraft spend most of their time in foreign airspace over foreign built-up areas, common sense and an agreed minimum level of safety must prevail within the concept of economic sanctions."’

The general understanding is that the key to this impasse is in the hand of the President of the United State of America and he is the man who can authorize the aircraft and spare parts sales to Iran. Therefore here are few words for the president.

Mr. President! At times and on special occasion like Iranian New Year, you have addressed Iranian people. Respectfully, permit me to remind you of your words by quoting them here. In your radio address on December 2002, you said, “I'm pleased to send warm greetings to the people of Iran……...” then you continued to say, “My thoughts and prayers are with the Iranian people, particularly the families of the many Iranians….”

During your interview with VOA, you said “We're always concerned about the individual….. And of course we're worried about the human condition!” And finally on another occasion you said, “I believe Iranians would thrive if they were given more opportunities to travel…”

As you see, you have admired the Iranian people; have wished them a happy New Year and prosperity. But honestly speaking Mr. President, more often than not, Iranian would need your condolences rather than your greetings. Have you ever, after an air disaster in Iran condoled the Iranians who have lost their loved ones in an airplane crash or have burned in Russian made airliners? If not, I suggest you prepare to do so, because one of these days another catastrophic and tragic accident may occur, because of your prohibitions on the sale of aircraft and spare parts to Iranian airlines.

Please Mr. President, don’t allow this to happen again. Disapproval of Boeing sales of new passenger aircraft to Iran is a foreseeable risk of harm to human lives and is therefore greatly uncompassionate. If you have any concern for Iranian, please solve this little problem for them, and prove yourself in deed rather than words.

Meanwhile, the benefit of selling aircraft to Iranian is a dual process, on the one hand lives of innocent people are saved and on the other hand Boeing, by making more sales, will boost the American economy. Iran Air and other Iranian airlines have a need for new modern western jet airplanes. Once the embargo is lifted, it is estimated all carriers combined would buy between 250 to 300 airplanes. Under present economic situation, this is a good size sales for Boeing and could be a decisive factor for that company.

Looking forward to the days that our people would ride safe and reliable aircraft.