Europe’s new statement is just more carrot and stick
By Hamidreza Gholamzadeh
US affairs analyst
On Friday, Britain, France, and Germany issued a joint statement declaring that they would seek to revive the stalled nuclear talks between Iran and the United States. The announcement came only after the trio triggered the “snapback” mechanism in late August to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran. When the UN Security Council voted down Russia and China’s proposal to delay those sanctions in late September, all financial and trade restrictions linked to Iran’s nuclear program were reinstated.
The latest statement is a textbook example of Europe’s long-standing carrot-and-stick approach toward Iran. On the one hand, the three countries see activating the snapback and turning up the pressure as the “right thing to do,” while on the other, they urge Tehran to return to the negotiating table. This tactic of passing the buck and blaming Iran for the diplomatic deadlock has been a recurring feature of European policy. The reality, however, is that it was the Europeans who failed to meet their commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.
Following the US withdrawal from the accord in 2018, the Europeans promised to shield trade with Iran through a mechanism called INSTEX. Yet that initiative never got off the ground. Instead, it was the Europeans themselves who instigated the snapback— effectively dismantling the deal they claimed to support. Despite these broken promises, they continue to point the finger at Tehran, pursuing a mix of blame games and political pressure in hopes of coercing Iran back into talks.
This dual strategy has also been evident in the joint statement issued on October 6 by the European Union and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, which questioned Iran’s sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands. The move fits neatly into the broader pattern of political pressure designed to box Iran into negotiations. But circumstances have changed. Europe has already played its hand. At this stage, talks with Europe — much like those with the United States — offer little to Iran.
Tehran was already in dialogue with Washington when Israel launched strikes in June, sparking a regional conflict that saw the US target Iranian nuclear sites. Given that backdrop, fresh negotiations with either side would bring Iran no tangible benefit. Talks, at this point, appear to serve only as a tool of pressure or deception — something Tehran has little reason to accept.
For its part, Washington has shown no real appetite for talks since the conflict. Iranian officials say the US refused to join any side meetings at the UN General Assembly in September. It’s clear that the only kind of negotiation Washington would entertain is one where it sets the terms and Tehran simply falls in line — a notion that runs counter to Iran’s position. Knowing this, the US sees little upside in reopening dialogue.
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