Iran. Europe, straight in its boots, begins a showdown with Washington

(B2) Faced with American procrastination, Donald Trump, in the lead on the Iranian nuclear agreement, Europe did not waver, held a firm, clear, understandable, united language. Spotless and smudge-free. It's rare enough to be stressed. So much has been said about Europe being unable to agree, to speak with one voice, to hold a tough position. On the Iranian nuclear, these days, this has been the case.

A message with many voices

First, the High Representative of the EU spoke very harshly on Friday during a late, exceptional press briefing, where in a few minutes she launched two or three scathing remarks against the American president. The three major countries (France, Germany, United Kingdom) signatories to the agreement then followed up, delivering a more polite but equally firm statement. And the 28 should, this Monday, drive the point home.

Without discordant tone

No discordant voice came to stir up trouble. Quite surprisingly. However the context could have suggested it: not supporting the American ally, like the position of Israel, is not self-evident in the head of several of the governments. No one dared... We no longer find ourselves in the same physiognomy as fourteen years ago at the time of the intervention in Iraq on the pretext of the presence of chemical weapons (which the inspectors nevertheless denied of ONU). No one has engaged. Which testifies in a certain way to American isolation.

A direct message to Washington

The message to Washington is direct: you are doing some strategic bullshit. " We can never renegotiate this agreement. the result of long years of negotiation (more than twelve years of negotiation), which resulted in an extremely detailed text (104 pages), all endorsed by a resolution of the United Nations Security Council, adopted unanimously, hammer home the Europeans.

Washington a little "off the mark"

"No actor, no leader in the world can challenge the content of a United Nations resolution adopted unanimously — emphasizes Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the Union —. Certainly the American president has many powers. But he doesn't have that power. »

To think that we can renegotiate the agreement is to be completely off the mark » as a senior European diplomat who is perfectly familiar with the matter and whose language is usually much more cautious and chastised, at least in public, says openly.

What lesson to draw from it?

Does this mean that Trump's punch is useless? Not quite. First of all, it was dosed more subtly than expected. The American president decertifies, but the reinstatement of new sanctions is not requested, except for the Corps of Revolutionary Guards (1).

American pressure on Iran

Then he puts pressure on the Iranians and other international partners to limit the Iranian ballistic program. It has become the main question now. Finally, by casting doubt on the reinstatement of sanctions, it is almost mechanically slowing down the flow of investment to the Islamic Republic and mitigating the enthusiasm that Western companies might have had to come and establish themselves there.

America's risky game

However, Washington is taking a certain risk: that of its diplomatic reliability and its international credibility. But that's not what Donald Trump seems to be looking for, who somehow prefers to strengthen the camp of conservatives in Iran, those who believe that no agreement is possible with the North Koreans and that multilateralism has no coming.

Straight Europeans in their boots

Conversely, the Europeans remain straight in their boots, fully assuming their responsibilities at the international level. It's small consolation. But she is certain. Once again, we can say "thank you" to Donald Trump. It is poised to do more for the unity of Europeans and their persistence in the world than any other international treaty.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Read also: It is not up to the United States to decide alone to change an international deal (Mogherini)

(1) The Corps, which is an important pillar of political, military and economic life in Iran, has been labeled as a terrorist entity. It is already subject to several restrictive measures by the European Union (the Corps itself, its military branches or economic subsidiaries) but not as a terrorist entity. This qualification would have a political effect, but also a more important technical one. Read : European sanctions against the Revolutionary Guards