Iran-Europe tensions threaten nuclear deal

Islam Mohamed

Tensions are rising between Iran and its European partners, against the background of the seizure of the Iranian oil tanker Grace I in Gibraltar on July 4 and the seizure by Iran later of a British oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman.

European parties to the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers have failed to take steps to reduce the intensity of international sanctions on Tehran. This complicated Iranian-European relations even more.

Iran said the British oil tanker it seized in the Gulf of Oman had violated international maritime navigation regulations. However, the fact is that Tehran is taking revenge on the UK for seizing Grace I in Gibraltar.

Tensions have especially grown between Iran and the UK, especially with both sides having their own fleet in the Gulf. The British warship Montrose entered into an encounter with Iranian military boats that tried to hamper the movement of a British oil tanker a few days ago.

The UK also said two units of the Royal Navy would head to the region in the coming few days.

Iran notified the ambassadors of the UK, France and Germany earlier that of the decision of its Supreme Security Council to suspend abidance by some of its commitments in the nuclear deal.

Relations between Iran and the European Unions are going through their worst phase. Some experts, meanwhile, say Iranian actions make the Islamic Republic lose the last remaining international parties that sympathize with it.

Iranian affairs researcher Osama al-Hatimi said the seizure of the UK oil tanker by Iran came in response to the seizure in Gibraltar of the Iranian oil tanker Grace I.

He told The Reference that Iran had thrown the ball in the European court soon after the US pulled out of the nuclear deal in May 2018.

He added that Europe is Iran’s prime trading partners.

Al-Hatimi noted that soon after signing the nuclear deal in 2016, European companies were quick to sign deals with Iran.

“This was why the US had to resume the sanctions on Iran in 2018,” al-Hatimi said.