Amidst growing tensions between the US and Iran in the Arab Gulf region, European Union member states have maintained reservations and warned against escalations leading to a full-fledged war.
EU countries, particularly France, Germany, and Britain, who are direct signatories of the nuclear agreement with Iran, are aware that they are in a very tight spot being caught between US-Iranian wars of words. Whilst Washington warns its West allies from being blackmailed by the nuclear deal, Tehran is stepping up its pressure on the three countries.
Recent developments regarding the nuclear deal and ramped-up US sanctions show that Tehran is seeking to pressure Europeans and push them to offer more much faster.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is primarily targeting his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, who said on Tuesday: "I think that in the period that we are entering into it is useful to show calm.”
France’s vigilance towards rising tensions was also echoed by Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
“There is still time and we hope all the actors show more calm. There is still time, but only a little time,” Le Drian said at a joint presser with German counterpart Heiko Maas.
Mass, for his part, voiced a more pessimistic overview of where tensions could be heading.
“The risk of war in the Gulf has not been averted,” he told reporters.
“We need to do everything so that it doesn’t come to this. That’s why we are talking to all sides. I was in Iran and we are also talking with the Americans. We need to deescalate through dialogue. It is a time of ‘diplomacy first’ and that’s what we are committed to.”
Le Drian said Iran’s threat on Monday to breach the 2015 nuclear deal’s limit on its uranium hexafluoride stocks within 10 days was very worrying and not in Tehran’s interest, but he also pointed the finger at the United States.
“We also consider the US’ decision to break with the accord is not good and that its maximum pressure campaign is contributing to tensions,” he said.
