An enduring hawkishness shapes France-Iran relations and the French leadership may discourage Biden from making conciliatory gestures towards Iran.
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All tagged Emmanuel Macron
An enduring hawkishness shapes France-Iran relations and the French leadership may discourage Biden from making conciliatory gestures towards Iran.
The aftermath of the protests presents significant challenges for the Iranian leadership. The Islamic Republic is dealing with severe economic difficulties and a fraying of the political fabric. Washington will use the recent unrest to argue against Europe engaging with Tehran. But diplomacy remains the only viable path to deescalation. Europeans, led by Emmanuel Macron, must protect the space for dialogue.
As the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign rolls on, it might seem like Europe not only lacks the means to defend its trade with the Islamic Republic, but also that there’s little left to defend. But even with significant barriers, Europe continues to export billions of dollars of parts, machinery, and transport equipment to Iran.
◢ John Bolton doggedly pursued maximum pressure, pushing aside the concerns expressed the secretary of state, secretary of treasury, military leaders and intelligence officials alike. While Trump’s antagonism towards the Iran nuclear deal predates his appointment of Bolton, the transformation of the Trump administration’s Iran policy into one of “economic war” was nonetheless dependent on Bolton’s ideological fixations.
