Week in Brief 22.06.2018

There is a country with financial difficulties to keep the money floating to interested investors; this is Iran.
There is a bank facing financial crisis and serious wounds at its investment banking activities in the United States. This is Deutche Bank. Could Deutsche Bank save Iran’s deal?

The German economic daily, Handelsblatt, writes that these two bodies could get connected to solve each other’s problem.

The author, Laura von Daniels, deputy head of the Americas research division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, suggests that establishing a German-Iran bank can have several benefits for Iran, Germany and Europe.

Although she predicts that the shareholders of Deutsche Bank might very well be shocked hearing such a proposal, however, if they should choose between complete collapse or to open a proper financial channel from Europe to Iran, then the second options sounds wiser.

Ms von Daniels notes that if German government is to rescue Deutsche Bank by tax revenues, then it can have a say as how to proceed. Having a European bank operating with Iran can also appeal to other interested European countries to support their companies’ activities in one of the largest markets in the Middle East.

Whether the German government has enough interest and determination to pursue such options, is not yet clear. However, hearing various options definitely does not harm.