The U.S. is facing criticism for its diplomatic decision to hold secret talks with Iran in Oman regarding its nuclear program without coordinating with European allies. Analysts and diplomats believe this move could reduce pressure on Iran and potentially heighten the risk of military action from Israel and the U.S., according to a report by Reuters.
Before President Donald Trump announced the talks with Iran on Tuesday, the U.S. did not inform the UK, France, or Germany (E3), despite the key role these European countries play in imposing new UN sanctions on Iran. This was confirmed by three European diplomats.
Blaise Misztal, Vice President of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, stated that the U.S. needs a coordinated diplomatic strategy with European allies in discussions with Iran. He emphasized the importance of maintaining maximum pressure while keeping diplomatic avenues open.
In February, Trump reinstated the “maximum pressure” strategy on Iran and again threatened military intervention if Iran didn’t shut down its nuclear program, saying Israel would take the lead in such action.
Western countries suspect Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons, although Tehran denies this. While threats of sanctions aim to pressure Iran, diplomats say there hasn’t been a detailed strategic discussion with the U.S. yet.
Since the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, it can no longer initiate the re-imposition of UN sanctions through the Security Council. Thus, only the UK, France, and Germany have the power to begin this process, making coordination with these allies crucial, analysts say. Israel, a staunch opponent of Iran, is already lobbying for such action.
According to three diplomats, the European trio has informed Iran of their intention to initiate the process by the end of June. In response, Tehran warned of severe consequences and said it might reconsider its nuclear policy.
A senior European diplomat expressed reduced trust in the U.S., citing its tendency to take unilateral decisions without consultation.
In 2018, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal signed with Russia and China. Under the deal, Iran had agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Russia now opposes any new sanctions.
This unilateral approach mirrors Trump’s first term, when he prioritized one-on-one talks with Iran. A similar strategy was observed in the context of the Ukraine war, where the U.S. bypassed Europe to engage directly with Moscow.
European officials have held some meetings with U.S. counterparts, but they yielded little progress. Just a week before Trump’s announcement, European officials faced a tough time during a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting where they discussed Iran with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.
The foreign ministries of the UK, France, and Germany have not directly responded to whether they had prior knowledge of the Oman talks. A British Foreign Office spokesperson said they are committed to all diplomatic steps necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, including the possibility of a “snapback” mechanism.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault briefly commented that France is observing the negotiations with interest.
Since 2003, European countries have engaged in trilateral talks on Iran’s nuclear issue. The 2015 agreement offered Iran significant incentives, including trade opportunities with Europe. Recently, Europe has supported the U.S. in imposing new sanctions over Iran’s ballistic missile program, detention of foreign nationals, and support for Russia in the Ukraine war.
Following Trump’s election victory but before he assumed office, European countries began preliminary talks with Iran in September. They argued that with the 2015 deal expiring on October 18, urgent steps were necessary. They hoped to negotiate even a more limited version of the original deal if possible.
Diplomats noted that Iranian officials frequently asked European representatives about the new U.S. administration’s stance.
An Iranian official stated that Iran believes talks with the European trio and other signatories of the nuclear deal could help ease tensions and complement any dialogue with the U.S.
Analysts warn that the U.S.’s unilateral policy could fracture the Western alliance on the Iran issue.