Es ist nicht alles schlecht an Diktaturen. Sie sind, solange sie bestehen, verläßliche Profitgaranten für Unternehmen ohne andere Interessen. Die Siemens AG gehört zu ihnen; gemeinsam mit Nokia verfolgt das deutsche Unternehmen in der Islamischen Republik Iran ausschließlich „finanzielle Interessen“ und ist ansonsten, natürlich, völlig unschuldig:
„Two European companies — a major contractor to the U.S. government and a top cell-phone equipment maker — last year installed an electronic surveillance system for Iran that human rights advocates and intelligence experts say can help Iran target dissidents.
Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN), a joint venture between the Finnish cell-phone giant Nokia and German powerhouse Siemens, delivered what is known as a monitoring center to Irantelecom, Iran’s state-owned telephone company. [..]
Promotional literature says the monitoring center’s ‚modular architecture allows the monitoring and interception of all types of voice and data communication in all networks, i.e. fixed, mobile, Next Generation Network (NGN) and the Internet. The MC’s [monitoring center’s] unified view-concept greatly facilitates investigative work and opens completely new and efficient ways to pursue leads.‘ [..]
William Daly, a former CIA signal-intelligence officer for the agency’s Office of Science and Technology who retired in 2000, said the monitoring center in Iran will be used to ‚monitor dissidents and those ayatollahs who oppose the Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei].‘ [..]
A spokeswoman for Siemens AG, Elizabeth Cho, said that Siemens ‚retains only a non-controlling financial interest in NSN, with the day-to-day operations residing with Nokia.'“