Rallying Europe around a tougher stance on Iran is a clear, achievable step toward shaping history in the right direction.
Rallying Europe around a tougher stance on Iran is a clear, achievable step toward shaping history in the right direction -- and sending a message that chaos has consequences.
A s U.S.-Iran nuclear talks progress, there is a parallel negotiation that deserves serious consideration, especially when planning for a post-nuclear Iran. It’s not just about the deal on the table; it’s about ensuring that it is enforced.
For this effort to succeed, we need Europeans to do their part.
It is no secret that during the first Trump administration, one of the biggest roadblocks to the effectiveness of the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran wasn’t Tehran — it was our European allies. They spent more time trying to resuscitate Obama’s flawed nuclear deal (JCPOA) than standing firm against the regime, all while clinging to their commercial ties with Iran.
But 2023 changed everything. On December 11, the European Union imposed sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities for materially aiding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Iran was not just meddling — it was actively fueling the largest land war in Europe since World War II, delivering drones and weapons made with European parts. The irony — and diplomatic embarrassment — was not lost on European leaders.
Those December 2023 sanctions signaled what many of our European counterparts describe as a new mindset, one finally catching up to geopolitical reality.
This shift in mindset has been reinforced by two deeply resonant events over the last three years. First, Iran’s brutal crackdown on women — brought into sharp focus by the death of Mahsa Amini while in regime custody in September 2022 — provoked new fear in Iranian dissidents living abroad. Second, pro-Hamas demonstrations erupted in European capitals after the Iran-backed terrorist group’s barbaric attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Iranian regime is no longer just a Middle East problem — it is a European problem. Every opportunity Tehran takes to sow chaos now poses a direct threat to the safety and stability of European citizens.
This growing awareness of Iranian belligerence has triggered a wave of stronger action by both the European Union and individual member states to address Iran’s threats head-on. Germany, for example, has outlawed Hamas and has taken a far more serious stance against antisemitic activity in its streets.
The EU has also imposed sanctions targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Other nations were reportedly ready to do more — until the Biden administration intervened. For example, Germany was ready to sanction Iranian airlines but was allegedly lobbied by President Biden’s team to refrain in favor of a more lenient posture.
But with a new U.S. administration, there is real potential for these policy changes to take shape. That could include the long-overdue official EU designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. This is a move many European parliamentarians support and one that could finally materialize with U.S. encouragement.
As the world watches the U.S.-Iran negotiations, another opportunity looms large with long-term consequences: the possibility of uniting our European allies around a shared strategy to confront threats posed by the Iranian regime.
A Europe-focused Iran strategy won’t just bolster our leverage in negotiations; it would amplify the strategic impact of all our foreign policy objectives. It would reinforce the military deterrent Israel has built against Iran and would cement the growing military partnerships between Israel and NATO members that have formed over the past two years.
With the United States and Europe in closer alignment with Israel and our Middle East partners regarding a unified approach to address Iran’s threats, Tehran’s top enablers have a clear, cautionary signal. Should the West continue to show a united front, Russia and China will find themselves with far fewer avenues for serious mischief.
As President Trump demonstrated during his first term, historic moments do not just happen — they are made possible by decisive American leadership.
Rallying Europe around a tougher stance on Iran is a clear, achievable step toward shaping history in the right direction — and sending a message that chaos has consequences.