Iran
announced yesterday it intends surpass the uranium stockpile limit set under
the 2005 nuclear agreement. They want to do it by 27 June.
Obviously,
this is no good news. It brings the region to a new level of tension. For
Europe, it makes the EU’s political position on Iran untenable.
Actually,
the European position had already reached a dead end. Now, that is
indisputable.
Today,
Federica Mogherini is on her way to Washington. I do not know what she will
bring to the discussions with Mike Pompeo and Jared Kushner, the trusted
son-in-law of President Trump. But she has no room left. On one side, she is
confronted with an Administration that is determined to further tighten the
sanctions already in place against Iran. Not to mention, of course, the additional
military deployments to the Gulf region. On the other side, she sees a regime
and a leadership that are placing themselves against the wall, when the wise
move would have been to remain committed to the implementation of the nuclear
agreement.
In
my opinion, Mogherini, on behalf of the EU, has no choice but to be frank and
direct. Direct means diplomacy with clear words. Here, the message should be
that all sides must show restraint and accept to return to the negotiating
table. EU and China, with the support of Russia, could be the conveners of such
a negotiation.
On
her return from Washington, Mogherini should also travel to Beijing and Moscow.
Before that, she could meet the UN Secretary-General. That would send an
appropriate signal. And it is something the UN needs.
No comments:
Post a Comment