Change in Nature of Iran-Europe Relations

It is the first time that the western world has accepted to establish balanced relations with Iran. The history of relations between Iran and the western countries has always been one-sided and one-dimensional. In the course of the 36 years since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran when the relations between Iran and the US were cut off, European parties have always refrained from establishing balanced relations. During the best period of cooperation between Iran and Europe which happened in the administrations of construction and reform, they called their policy “critical dialogue” and advanced their economic and trade policies on this basis. European governments pursued their economic cooperation to the point which could force Iran to change its political behavior. During all these years, European countries, including Germany, Britain, France and Italy, experienced trade and industrial cooperation with Iran without driving them towards political and security issues. That is why the recent agreement reached in Vienna should be considered as a historic event in the relations between Iran and the West. The nature of these relations has changed with this agreement. A look at these relations from every aspect shows that this is a new beginning. This fact could be found in the realities of the past history of relations between the two parties:

1-It is obvious for the observers of European affairs that, a few years ago, Iranian diplomats, similar to the Turkish officials, made great efforts to receive permission from the European Union under the name of a “big cooperation agreement” in order to remove their trade with European parties from a one-sided and unstable state. Both sides negotiated for long hours and months to reach this agreement but in the end EU leaders refused to render such permission to the Iranian and Turkish parties based on the reason that the political behavior of these two sides could not be trusted. Today, the Vienna Agreement has put the Iranian side in a position where European leaders take voluntary steps to sign the highest levels of trade agreements.

2-Europe has always viewed Iran as its economic partner. This view has always been officially pursued by the three leading governments of this continent (Germany, Britain, France). The practical result of such an outlook was that during all these years, the European parties had placed no weight and role for the Iranian party in the regional disputes and crises including Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine. Instead of inviting Iran to help in these crises, European countries exerted pressure to keep Tehran away from playing a role in these issues; a policy which European diplomats call a policy of pressure and containment. During the last three decades, this position of ours was given to our rivals particularly Turkey, Egypt or Saudi Arabia. The Vienna Agreement removed this eliminating view of the Europeans with regard to Iran. As stated during the past few days, European leaders have officially recognized Iran’s political status and role in the region.

3-As experienced during the years of sanctions, the relations between Iran and Europe were very shaky and unstable. The huge volumes of economic agreements and cooperation between the two parties were shaken by any storm. The root of this instability was the rift and differences in the political views of both sides and that the economic agreements lacked political foundations. But it seems that now the Vienna Agreement was able to prepare a firm support to maintain the balance in relations between the two sides. This agreement ended the period of Europeans’ suspicion regarding Iran’s foreign policy. As mentioned in the statement made by Mrs. Mogherini, they accepted that Iran play a peaceful role and Iran’s diplomacy take steps on the path of reaching peace and trust. Furthermore, the historic event in Vienna ended one of the concerns of the Europeans in their cooperation with Iran which was the fear of pressure and attitudes of the two outside powers meaning the US and Israel; the US has now taken steps, alongside the Europeans, to open its relations with Iran and Israel is practically isolated after this nuclear agreement.