Can Italy Become a Big Player on Iran?

One of Europe’s big countries can do more for the continent’s engagement with Iran.
Over the past three years, Italy has lacked an influential role on the Iran file. But since Mario Draghi’s government has been in power – and the administration of Joe Biden has changed gears on Iran – Italy has signalled that, once again, it wants to feature among the key players on this crucial but complex issue. Whether it manages to do so will depend on the steps it is prepared to take.

A DISSENTING EUROPE
Since 2018, the so-called E3 countries (France, Germany and the UK) have led a policy towards Iran which has been aimed at preserving the 2015 nuclear deal (also known as the JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), notwithstanding the US’s withdrawal and reimposition of sanctions. Together with former High Representative of the EU Federica Mogherini, the three leading European countries deemed the agreement ‘a key achievement of the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture’, disassociating themselves from the measures adopted by the US under former President Donald Trump during his ‘maximum pressure’ campaign against Iran.
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