Why is the EU silent, when Iran acts militarily against British assets?

Remain MPs - Any idea why the EU might want to keep quiet?

This is the EU's de facto Foreign Secretary and Vice-President, a former Italian Communist, posing for selfies in the Iranian Parliament in 2017.

She did her university dissertation on Islam. One of her Commission colleagues did her Masters degree in "Iranian Studies".

Iran seizes British tanker by force, effectively closes international waterway, EU is silent

Iran has acted militarily using special forces against a British-flagged tanker in Omani waters in the Straits of Hormuz – an essential international waterway which must be kept open.

Yet there is still no comment from the President of the EU Council Donald Tusk, nor from the President of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, nor from the President of the EU Parliament David Sassoli.

What happened to EU “unity”?

Brexit Facts4EU.Org monitors the news output and statements from the various organs of the EU machine – the Council, the Commission, the Parliament, and a myriad of other EU bodies. We look at their websites, their press output, and their official and personal Twitter feeds.

We have seen prompt and robust statements on all manner of issues. For example if US President Donald Trump says something, even if unaccompanied by any military or other action, Twitter responses from EU Presidents come with alacrity.

Strangely, the EU has been very quiet since an aggressive military act against one of its member states. Here is the summary so far, after which we ask: “Why so quiet?”

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

EU official news sources

EU Council news website : SILENCE
EU Council Twitter : SILENCE
EU Council President Tusk : SILENCE
EU Commission news website : SILENCE
EU Commission Twitter : SILENCE
EU Commission President Juncker : SILENCE
EU Parliament news website : SILENCE
EU Parliament Twitter : SILENCE
EU Parliament President Sassoli : SILENCE

So why is the EU so quiet?

Four years ago on 14 Jul 2015, Iran agreed a deal with the US, UK, China, France, Germany, and Russia, to halt its programme of nuclear development which was clearly leading to the making of nuclear bombs. In return, the countries in question agreed to lift economic sanctions against Iran.

This deal is known as JCPOA – the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” – and the EU were heavily involved.

Here is the EU’s Foreign Secretary, meeting Iran's leader.

The story since May 2018

In May 2018 President Trump announced that the US was no longer going to be part of the deal with Iran, as his administration did not consider it to be an effective constraint on Iran’s ambitions to be a nuclear power. He re-imposed economic sanctions in November last year.

“The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.”

- President Trump, 08 May 2018

Here is how the EU’s Foreign Secretary responded, with a message to the Iranian people :-

Credit: EU Commission

“Let me conclude with a message to the Iranian citizens and leaders. To each and every one of them. Do not let anyone dismantle this agreement. It is one of the biggest achievements diplomacy has ever delivered, and we built this together. It is the demonstration that win win solutions are possible, through dialogue, engagement and perseverance. That common ground can be found, even when positions and interests differ. That respect can be a universal language.

“This deal belongs to each and every one of us. Stay true to your commitments, as we will stay true to ours. And together, with the rest of the international community, we will preserve the nuclear deal.”

- EU Vice-President and Foreign Secretary Mogherini, 08 May 2018

Since then the EU has continued with its policy of appeasement with Iran, despite Iran’s increasing breaches. In May of this year Iran announced it would be unilaterally breaking the agreement.

The EU Foreign Secretary and the British Foreign Secretary six days ago

On Monday last week, (15 July 2019), the EU’s Foreign Secretary, Federica Mogherini, said that none of the breaches were significant, and so they would not be triggering its dispute mechanism which could lead to further sanctions.

On the same day last week that Ms Mogherini made her statement, the UK’s Foreign Secretary (and contender for Prime Minister) Jeremy Hunt said:

“Iran is still a good year away from developing a nuclear weapon.”

- The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Foreign Secretary, 15 Jul 2019

“Well that's a load off, thanks.”

- The Brexit Facts4EU.Org team, 21 Jul 2019

We invite readers to pause for a moment and consider that remark from the British Foreign Secretary, just six days ago.

For the sake of good order

We did eventually find a few words from an EU spokesperson who said: “The seizure of two ships by Iranian authorities in the Strait of Hormuz is of deep concern. In an already tense situation, this development brings risks of further escalation and undermines ongoing work to find a way to resolve current tensions. We urge the immediate release of the remaining ship and its crew, and call for restraint to avoid further tensions. Freedom of navigation must be respected at all times.”

However we should stress that this did not come from any prominent EU figure and nor was it widely reported.

Observations

The EU is heavily invested – politically – in this deal with Iran

It would not overstate the case to say that the EU has consistently criticised and attacked President Trump for re-imposing sanctions on Iran last year. In the meantime the EU has continued to appease Iran.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org – along with others - has long contended that the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) has a mindset of managing the UK’s decline on the world stage. In particular in the last three years it has looked as if UK officials have merely wanted to ‘go with the flow’ in order to court favour with the EU during the Brexit talks.

It might be argued that the decisions made in Brussels regarding foreign policy towards Iran have been those of appeasement. In any event we consider the Government’s responses to have been an abrogation of UK decision-making in favour of the policies of the EU.

Some background

The Iranian ‘deal’, JCPOA, was agreed back in the heady days of the EU’s love-in with the USA’s President Obama, when the EU was hoping to agree a trade deal with the world’s largest economy. This deal was known as TTIP – the “Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership”.

TTIP is no longer mentioned in polite circles in Brussels, as it died a death before Obama left office when agreement could not be reached. President Trump subsequently halted the negotiations.

The EU is caught between a rock and hard place

Having continuously berated President Trump for the last year for taking a firmer line against the Iranian regime, it must have been acutely embarrassing for the EU when Iran started breaking the terms of the JCPOA deal.

Nevertheless, when you have a former Italian Communist as EU Foreign Secretary, who did her university dissertation on Islam, surely questions must finally start to be asked by British MPs? Or do they just want to continue in their ignorance?

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[ Sources: EU Council | EU Commission | EU Parliament | Iranian TV ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, 21 Jul 2019

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Reader Comments 37

1. Kate, East London , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 07:02:

No idea why this woman thinks she should mimic the mode of dressing of the places she visits. Anyway, should she ever go to a convent I can lend her my noun outfit I wore to a fancy-dress party last year.

2. Catherine, Dollar , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 07:53:

I suppose there will come the day, if the UK remains in the EU, that the UK will not be allowed to send its own navy to protect British-flagged vessels, eg in the Straits of Hormuz, for fear of upsetting the wrong people.

3. James Bertram , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 08:38:

Kate, if it leaves the consonants exposed then words fail me!

4. Butties , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 11:02:

Your report would be more balanced if you incuded comment on the illegal seizure of Grace 1 by UK military.

5. Patrick F , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 13:41:

An attack on an EU member state is an attack on all the EU n'est pas?

6. Adam Hiley , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 13:44:

Iran - I bet Corbyn and the Remoantards will still put the EU before their own Country

7. Essex Brexiter , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 13:54:

If you remember when Trump pulled out of the Iran deal the EU were keen to take up the slack.Remember the Iranian Foreign minister tweeting that the names of all European politicians who took bribes when negotiating the JCPOA deal would be published.The pot of money the bribes involved was $10 billion!
Why is anyone surprised by lack of action by the EU?

8. Googoo , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 14:27:

Brexit ****s
[OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE REMOVED BY THE BREXIT FACTS4EU.ORG TEAM]

9. Gary , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 14:51:

re comment number 8 . That is not a very nice comment now is it , are you a remain voter by any chance? the monica GooGoo doesn't sound very grown up though does it.

10. Ed, Manchester , Sunday, July 21, 2019, 15:10:

Googoo, thanks for the excellent, well researched and classy presentation of the Remain side of the argument from a Remainer. I'm sure it will convert more people to join your side.

37 comments, page 1 of 4

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