• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Amid Sharpening US-Iran Conflict, Europeans Try Diplomacy

By Lisa Bryant January 08, 2020

European Union foreign ministers meet later this week on the escalating crisis between Iran and the United States, but EU executives already have set the tone, calling Wednesday for dialogue and salvaging the Iran nuclear deal.

Speaking from Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the use of weapons in the Middle East must stop.

"We are called upon to do everything possible to rekindle talks," she said. "There cannot be enough of that."

In many ways, Europe is caught in the crossfire of the mounting tensions. It has condemned Iran's missile attacks in Iraq, and offered cautious support of the U.S. strike that killed top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani – but it also urged restraint on both sides.

As part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, experts say, Europeans are worried about the fallout. Germany is moving troops out of Iraq. At the same time, the Europeans strongly support the Iran nuclear agreement that President Donald Trump withdrew from two years ago, and are urging Iran to stick to it.

"I think they [Europeans] are stuck between a rock and a hard place," said Julien Barnes-Dacey, Middle East program director at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "On the one hand, they do not want to create transatlantic divisions, whatever their frustrations with President Trump. And they also have significant issues with the way Iran has conducted itself in the region."

As part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, experts say, Europeans are worried about the fallout. Germany is moving troops out of Iraq. At the same time, the Europeans strongly support the Iran nuclear agreement that President Donald Trump withdrew from two years ago, and are urging Iran to stick to it.

"I think they [Europeans] are stuck between a rock and a hard place," said Julien Barnes-Dacey, Middle East program director at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "On the one hand, they do not want to create transatlantic divisions, whatever their frustrations with President Trump. And they also have significant issues with the way Iran has conducted itself in the region."