EU-Iran: A Crucial Dialogue

The EU-Iran relationship has deteriorated following the US withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and recent regional conflicts. Iran has responded by breaching nuclear limits and forging strategic alliances with Russia and China, including joining the SCO and BRICS. The author suggests the EU shift toward incentives and new areas of collaboration, such as climate cooperation and the Paris Agreement, to maintain influence and prevent a regional nuclear arms race.

• The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), designed to limit Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief, has been severely undermined since the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018. Despite EU efforts to maintain the deal through a blocking statute and a special purpose vehicle (SPV), European companies like Daimler, PSA, Renault, and Airbus largely abandoned Iranian operations to avoid US market penalties.
• Iran has increasingly breached the JCPOA, with the UN nuclear agency confirming the installation of advanced centrifuges and the production of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent purity. This nuclear advancement risks triggering a regional arms race, as Saudi Arabia has indicated it would seek nuclear weapons if Iran acquires them.
• Iran is pivoting away from the West toward strategic partnerships with Russia and China to counter sanctions. This includes supplying combat drones to Russia for use in Ukraine, signing a 25-year cooperation programme with China involving a 400-billion-dollar investment, and joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the BRICS bloc (effective January 2024).
• The EU can potentially rebuild relations by focusing on new avenues of collaboration, such as climate cooperation and supporting Iran's interest in joining the Paris Agreement, provided sanctions are eased. Additionally, the author argues that the EU must engage Iran in discussions regarding a durable solution for Palestine due to Iran's regional significance.

APA

Besliu, R. (2023). EU-Iran: A Crucial Dialogue. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/eu-iran-a-crucial-dialogue/

Chicago

Besliu, Raluca. EU-Iran: A Crucial Dialogue. Green European Journal, 2023. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/eu-iran-a-crucial-dialogue/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Besliu |first1=Raluca |title=EU-Iran: A Crucial Dialogue |publisher=Green European Journal |date=17 November 2023 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/eu-iran-a-crucial-dialogue/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{besliu2023euiran, author = {Besliu, Raluca}, title = {{EU-Iran: A Crucial Dialogue}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/eu-iran-a-crucial-dialogue/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }