On Tuesday 12 June, a very large majority of MEPs, as well as the European Commission, said that maintaining the Iran nuclear deal, which was challenged unilaterally by the USA in early May (see EUROPE 12018), was "fundamental" for security at a regional and global level.
The multilateral deal on the Iranian nuclear programme, negotiated with great difficulty by the route of diplomacy, "is bearing its fruit" – it prevents "the proliferation" of nuclear weapons and favours the recognition of trade relations between Iran and the rest of the world, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini stated.
"We, Europeans, have not changed tack – quite the opposite", Mogherini said, convinced that "the world cannot afford a nuclear arms race, especially in the Middle East". On behalf of "the credibility" of the international community, she said that Europeans should tell their partners how the agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme can continue to produce its effects. And it should be noted that thanks to this agreement, it has been possible to talk to Iran about other thorny issues, such as its ballistic missile programme and the conflict in Yemen.
In early June, the European Commission adopted two positions aiming to counter the effects on European companies of the US extraterritorial sanctions adopted against Iran, and to continue economic and trade relations with Tehran (see EUROPE 12023).
Are we going to believe the USA's resolve to negotiate with North Korea on the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula when the USA has challenged the Iran nuclear deal, Victor Boștinaru (S&D, Romania) asked.
For David McAllister (EPP, Germany), the US decision is "incomprehensible". Like Charles Tannock (ECR, UK), McAllister also mentioned the violations of fundamental rights in Iran, as well as the "unacceptable" threats to Israel.
Marietje Schaake (ALDE, Netherlands) thought that Russia should also be hit by the US extraterritorial sanctions. Klaus Buchner (Greens/EFA, Germany) feared an arms race that other countries in the Middle East will conduct, if Tehran is equipped with nuclear weapons, and he mentioned "Saudi Arabia". On behalf of the GUE/NGL group, Cornelia Ernst (Germany) urged the European Union not to follow the USA "like a dog that doesn't know where it's going" any longer. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)