The US-Europe relations in the Biden era are back on track to the past times. America needs Europe’s cooperation to strengthen its strategic status and its past prestige in the world and counter the geopolitical challenges and threats arising from other big powers. Europe, too, will grasp the opportunity of Biden’s victory for reviving and fulfilling its role as a powerful bloc invested in important regional and international issues.

Europe’s behavior and performance in Biden’s era toward Iran will not be much different from that of Trump in terms of approach and Europe will continue to back the US actions and policies toward Iran. Iran’s return to the JCPOA commitments will be tied to practical nixing of all US sanctions. In the event of occurrence of this and a likely agreement between the US and Iran within the framework of the nuclear agreement, Europe will have no choice but to accept the agreement. It is noteworthy that during the JCPOA agreement, Europe had more of a coordinating role than a deciding.

 Europe’s relations and ties with the US have been always strategic and significant, especially after the second world war. It was only during the Trump term that these relations cooled. By dividing Europe into the old and new Europe and establishing special relations with some European countries, especially eastern European countries, and finally by supporting the Brexit, he was trying to undermine and dissolve Europe. Trump saw Europe as not an ally but a serious rival for America’s global interests, for this, on every occasion, tried to contempt and showcase Europe’s inability in various political and economic issues on regional and international stage.

Given the US constitution and political structure and that any change in its political structure will bring about global impacts and given the different approaches  of the Democratic and GOP parties on important political regional and international issues, Biden’s election from the Democratic party as the 46th US president will impact the US domestic developments , its political and international cooperation with other states and various geographical regions such as Europe and international organizations.

Even as, with the Brexit, Europe’s integrity and cohesion have cracked, Biden’s election as the new US president  and the policies and positions taken by him and the Democratic party, will put the US/EU relations back on track . America needs Europe’s cooperation, especially its soft power, to strengthen its strategic status and its past prestige in the world and counter the geopolitical challenges and threats arising from other big powers and to contain China.

Europe, too, will grasp the opportunity of Biden’s victory for reviving and fulfilling its role as a powerful bloc invested in important regional and international issues.

 Considering Europe’s need to the US which has prevented Europe from being an independent player, and Europe ‘s dependence on the US, especially in defense and security terms and strong economic bonds between them, with $1.3 trillion worth of services and goods trade annually and $6 trillion dollars of investments between the two sides, the dynamics of the US-EU ties, and as a consequence, Europe’s relations with the other countries have always been influenced by the US domestic developments. For example, during the trump 4-year term, Europe’s status severely dropped as a bloc of power and Europe further noticed its inability in taking any regional and international steps without US participation.

 Although Europe is more in line with the Democrats’ approach of using diplomacy in political and international issues, its dependence on the US mentioned above forced it to cooperate and coordinate with the Republicans during the Trump era and to set its ties with other world countries.

40 years of experience of ties and cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Europe is telling of the reality that the Europe-Iran relations , too, are influenced by the US presidential elections and the winning party, in other words, influenced by the Europe- America relations’ dynamics. Examinations and analysis by European research think-tanks are indicative of the fact that Europe’s need to the US hampers its independent role in important regional and international matters.

 Europe’s behavior towards Iran during the Trump era, except for unkept promises and ineffective statements, have had no practical follow-up. Also, Europe’s behavior and performance toward Iran will not make much of a difference in terms of approach during the Biden term. The US actions and policies toward Iran will continue. And this will only result in the US exploitation of Europe in the Iran case. Iran’s return to the JCPOA commitments will be tied to practical nixing of all US sanctions. In the event of occurrence of this and a likely agreement between the US and Iran within the framework of the nuclear agreement, Europe will have no choice but to accept the agreement, though it is possible like the previous time and for securing its interests in JCPOA-opposing countries like Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain it will throw obstacles in the way. It is noteworthy that during the JCPOA agreement Europe had more of a coordinating role than a deciding.

 Comparing the behavior and performance of Europe toward the Islamic Republic of Iran during the Democrats tenure and Barack Obama’s terms with that of the Republicans and Trump’s presidential period gives us a clear example of Europe following the US in the Iran case. During the Obama era, Europe stepped in tandem with the US approach and behavior toward Iran. During the Trump period too, though apparently slamming some of his policies, under pressure and with dependence on the US, Europe has acted in line with Trump’s approaches and policies toward Iran.

 The recent movements and positions of the EU and the statements of Germany, France and the UK officials against the Islamic republic of Iran can be analyzed along the same lines. Although Europe welcomes the US return to the JCPOA, in other issues disputed with Iran, Europe will adopt and pursue tougher positions. Generally, during the Biden era, Europe’s political behavior toward Iran will not change that much in terms of approach, compared to that of Trump.

 Europe, especially the troika of Germany, France and the UK will pursue and put on their agenda the policy of not upgrading the Iranian peaceful nuclear program, reigning in its missile program and downgrading Iran’s regional influence.

The nuclear agreement taught us the important lesson that the only language the west and Europe understand is the one with which they speak with others and that is the language of force, and any backing down against the illegitimate west and Europe’s demands, will only make them more emboldened in pursuing them.

 This does not mean that we should not negotiate with the west and Europe, but any talks and negotiations must be planned, purposeful, intelligent and from a position of self-esteem and independence and within the Islamic Republic of Iran’s best interests and with a thorough understanding of the abilities and capacities of the other side.

 Javad Kechoueian, Senior Expert at European Studies    

           (The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the IPIS)