EU-Iran relations after Brexit

In: Survival: global politics and strategy, Band 58, Heft 5, S. 83-94

Abstract

The impending exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union paves the way for strategic EU-Iran engagement that is separate from UK-Iran talks. The decision by British voters to leave the European Union coincides with improving relations between Europe and Iran. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran's relationship with Europe's major powers has been characterised by periods of economic cooperation followed by near-complete disengagement. The nuclear deal struck between Iran and world powers in July 2015 - which the EU played a major role in negotiating - removed the economic sanctions that since 2006 have stood in the way of deeper ties. A new chapter in Iranian-European relations has already begun. But the impending exit of the United Kingdom from the EU further paves the way for a new paradigm in Europe's relationship with Iran: strategic EU-Iran engagement that is separate from, but parallel to, high-level UK-Iran talks. (Survival / SWP)