For too long, the EU focused on Iran’s nuclear program while mostly ignoring its malign regional activities and missile program. As the consequences of both hit closer to home, the union must pursue a new strategy focused on containing Iran’s regime, supporting Iranian civil society, and engaging with Gulf states.
While U.S. President Joe Biden has stated his intention to return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Tehran’s nuclear advances and Washington’s unclear diplomatic approach risk derailing the Vienna negotiations.
The global arms control regime is disintegrating. To reverse this trend, Europe and the United States will have to find a way to engage both Russia and China.
Germany and Europe should not focus solely on the Iran nuclear file. Instead, they should develop a coherent and comprehensive approach to regional security that includes securing maritime routes and investing in environmental cooperation.
Eight years of European thinking that Tehran could be a partner will end when hardliner Ebrahim Raisi becomes Iran’s next president. The EU should update its approach to the Persian Gulf by going beyond the nuclear file and focusing on regional security.
A recent cyber attack on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility, which Iran blames on Israel, has put further pressure on U.S.-Israeli relations. As the United States seeks to revive the JCPOA, Israel wants to stop the deal at all costs.
Despite a slow start, the EU is working hard to hammer out a renewed nuclear deal between the United States and Iran. But it won’t be easy.
