The European Union is slated this week to wrap up a new round of sanctions. Their goal is to force Iran to suspend its illicit nuclear program. After years of inaction, the European Union is now amenable to inflicting real economic pain on the Iranian regime where it is most vulnerable – particularly, to Iran’s financial and energy sectors. Disturbingly, Germany, the key EU economic force trading with Iran (roughly 4 billion euros annually), has thus far thrown a wrench into the works by blocking sanctions against Iranian banking institutions who are involved in financing its nuclear weapons program on German soil. In short, Germany is the key to effective EU sanctions against Iran’s rulers.