The motivation for writing these lines is the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union in October, an event that may have been one of the most challenging decisions of the award committee; with widespread critical feedback, sometimes humorous and even sarcastic. But before delving into this action, let us become more familiar with the identity of this award and not be unaware of Alfred Nobel himself. Then we will critique the underlying concepts and finally compare the sanctions against Iran with this award.

Alfred Nobel, a prominent chemist, became very wealthy and famous in the late 19th century with inventions and discoveries such as dynamite. He had created the most powerful explosives of his time and, with the help of his family’s background in weapons manufacturing, he focused on producing large quantities of explosive materials for both military and non-military purposes. He continued on this path until 1888, when a French newspaper falsely reported his death with the following statement: “The Angel of Death is dead, Dr. Alfred Nobel, the man who became rich by finding a way to kill more people in less time; he died yesterday.” He gradually became disillusioned with his fame and wealth and in his last will and testament in 1894, he expressed his wishes for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to those who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.

On the date of awarding this prize, there have been many ups and downs that have been controversial. From names like Winston Churchill and Simon Perez to the absence of awarding this prize to people like Gandhi… Criticisms have generally been about the past actions or ideologies of the winners, and the organizing committee has been accused of being political and serving the agendas of certain governments. Now, let’s focus on this year’s winner, the European Union.

The reason for the success of the European Union has been declared as follows: “More than six decades of efforts for progress in peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.” The Union, which was formed after the end of World War II and through a famous treaty known as the “European Coal and Steel Community”, gradually evolved into its current form with twenty-seven members. Although we have not witnessed any wars between powerful countries on this continent since World War II, their names are always seen among the countries involved in regional conflicts.

The claim of the Nobel Peace Committee can be criticized from perspectives such as: the concept of peace and reconciliation, the existence of democracy and human rights, limiting these issues to the borders of the European Union, dual standards, etc.

A- Peace and Reconciliation: Since these words can be analyzed with numerous definitions and exceptions, we base our interpretation on the will of Alfred Nobel; countries that have been involved in the occupation of many countries in the world and still have their military forces spread out in many parts of the world, in the past six decades, have not only made no comprehensive efforts towards international friendship, but have also sown the seeds of enmity by invading the lands of nations and massacring them. “Efforts towards disarmament or reduction of military forces” also does not seem to be very relevant to the union that has twenty-four members in the NATO alliance and its military budget in 2010 was one hundred and ninety-four billion and three hundred and fifty-seven million euros. This is equivalent to one-sixth of the total gross domestic product of the European Union.

In this regard, looking at the economic situation of Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, and the strict economic policies of more powerful countries towards exploiting the people of these countries, as well as the violent actions of the police towards the people, there is no such thing as friendship or peace in the relationships between governments and nations. The streets of Greece and Spain have witnessed the most violent protests and clashes with security forces this year, which is a testimony to the European Union’s inability to establish even minimal peace within its borders.

B- Democracy and Human Rights: Without a doubt, the European Union has made commendable progress in this area and its experiences should be utilized in many countries. However, human rights cannot be limited by borders; when the reason for awarding a prize is limited, humans are classified. It would have been better if those responsible for awarding prizes had divided the phrase “in Europe” a little and presented it against the spirit of peace and the Nobel legacy. Spreading the table of peace for “ourselves” and shooting peace missiles for “others” will not have a friendly appearance, nor will it in the future.

Dual Standard: Few analysts know that the rule of Saddam or the Islamic Republic is self-destructive and adventurous, but at the same time, it is rare to find an ordinary person who does not know that heavy financial sanctions do not diminish the self-interest of the rulers. The government spends the income from oil sales on maintaining its military power and the middle class is pushed towards economic and moral collapse. The foundations of small-minded social movements, civil institutions and cultural studies are shattered and replaced by hunger, insecurity, corruption and “bread riots”. So how can this union believe in peace by trying to break the pride and protest power of the people and eliminating the opportunities for the progress of a nation? How can it respect human dignity when the sound of a nation’s destruction is interpreted as the downfall of a government? If human rights are respected, why are they devalued among allies such as Saudi Arabia and Israel, and sometimes even on their own streets? If there is a danger of atomic bombs and

This article is not about ignoring the progress and achievements of the European Union, but rather about keeping a clear view of the few human concepts that are still being promoted by media outlets.