Iran’s FM: Tehran ready to turn page in ties with Europe
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is ready to turn the page in its relations with Europe despite political tensions between the two sides.
“Despite tensions, the history between Iran and Europe remains rich. Cultural, academic, and economic ties – spanning energy, technology, the automotive sector, and environmental cooperation—have long proven fruitful,” Araghchi said in comments published by French weekly Le Point.
Following the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, relations between Iran and Europe began to deteriorate due to the Europe’s failure to fulfill its commitments under the agreement and opted to follow in the footsteps of the US. The relations have also worsened over numerous issues including Iran’s relations with Russia.
“When former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – a nuclear agreement signed by Iran and six world powers including Britain, France, and Germany – the moment called for European resolve. Then-French finance minister Bruno Le Maire declared that Europe would not be a “vassal” of Washington. Yet in practice, the E3 (Britain, France, and Germany) failed to deliver. Promised economic benefits under the JCPOA never materialized, as European firms opted to comply with US sanctions rather than uphold their governments’ commitment,” Araghchi said.
Referring to Europe’s recent threat of triggering the JCPOA snapback mechanism which he said had designed as a last-resort dispute tool and now wielded as diplomatic leverage, Araghchi said, “This strategy of confrontation risks provoking a global nuclear proliferation crisis that would primarily affect Europeans themselves.”
Back in April, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that France, along with Germany and Britain, “will not hesitate for a single second to reapply all the sanctions” scrapped a decade ago if European security is threatened by Iran’s nuclear activities.
The Iranian foreign minister said despite the E3’s confrontational posture toward Iran, he has extended multiple invitations to restart meaningful dialogue with Europe not just on the nuclear issue, but across all areas of mutual concern. But he said “the overtures were met with silence. Still, I remain committed to diplomacy.”
“This approach has not only damaged state-level relations but also had real humanitarian consequences. For example, last year’s EU ban on Iran’s national airline – based on missile export allegations later denied by senior Ukrainian officials – severely limited access to life-saving medicines, including cancer treatments,” the top diplomat said.
Araghchi said he has expressed his readiness to visit Paris, Berlin, and London to begin a new chapter. “This initiative has led to preliminary discussions at the deputy foreign minister level—a fragile but promising beginning. But time is running out,” the Iranian foreign minister added.
“How we respond at this pivotal moment will define the future of Iran-Europe relations far more profoundly than many may anticipate. Iran stands ready to turn the page. We hope our European partners are, too.”