The European Union issued a warning to EU businesses Monday that they could be sanctioned if they comply with the U.S. effort to drive companies out of Iran. “If EU companies abide by U.S. secondary sanctions they will, in turn, be sanctioned by the EU," Nathalie Tocci, an aide to the EU’s foreign policy head, told BBC Radio 4.
The move was aimed at countering the economic impact on Iran when the U.S. scrapped the nuclear deal—originally signed by China, the EU, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, the U.K., and the U.S.—and reimposed sanctions on Iran Monday at midnight. The EU is trying to preserve the Iran nuclear deal by blunting the effect of the Trump administration's actions. So far, Iran is continuing to comply with the deal, and its leadership has urged European nations to help lessen the blow of U.S. actions on its economy. The Hill writes:
Federica Mogherini, chief of foreign affairs for the EU, said Tuesday that the countries were doing its "best to keep Iran in the deal, to keep Iran benefiting from the economic benefits that the agreement brings to the people of Iran," according to NBC News.
The Trump administration is trying to use the sanctions to get Iran back to the bargaining table to negotiate something—exactly what isn't clear. "They’ve got to – well, they’ve got to behave like a normal country. That’s the ask," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is wondering why it should return to the negotiating table when the U.S. can't be trusted. "The person who is claiming to be willing to negotiate today," Rouhani explained on state TV, "has withdrawn from all international commitments—from the Paris agreement to its business commitments with other countries. They left the negotiating table."
None of this has good long-term outcomes for the U.S. or world order, frankly. If the Trump administration succeeds in unilaterally blowing up an international agreement, it will hamper the ability to effectively negotiate cooperative multi-nation accords going forward. If the Trump administration doesn't succeed in blowing it up, U.S. leverage around the world will be greatly diminished. Either way, Trump's assault on our most loyal allies around the world continues.