As hostilities between Israel and Iran stretch into their second week, European powers are intensifying diplomatic efforts to prevent a broader regional war. On Friday, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, together with the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, are scheduled to meet Iranian officials in Geneva. Their goal: to de-escalate the military confrontation and revive a diplomatic path centered around Tehran's nuclear program.

The meeting comes at a time when tensions are running high. Israel's recent airstrikes on Iran killed several senior military commanders, prompting a steady exchange of drone and missile strikes. The conflict risks drawing in more regional actors - and potentially the United States. President Donald Trump has said he will decide ?within two weeks? whether to involve the U.S. military in support of Israel. Reports indicate Washington is actively considering intervention.

Speaking after a meeting in Washington with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the situation in the Middle East as ?perilous.?

In Geneva, Iran's ambassador to the UN, Ali Bahreini, voiced strong criticism of Europe. He told Euronews that at the very least, European governments should ?explicitly condemn Israel and stop supporting it.? Bahreini argued that Israel's military campaign had been enabled by the inaction of European powers and their failure to uphold the 2015 nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Meanwhile, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a provocative statement, declaring that Iran's supreme leader ?can no longer be allowed to exist.?

Europe's Diplomatic Gamble

At the heart of the Geneva talks lies a push by European diplomats to revive the framework of the JCPOA, the nuclear deal signed in 2015 by Iran, the EU, China, Russia, and the U.S., among others. That agreement imposed strict limitations on Iran's uranium enrichment and centrifuge use in exchange for sanctions relief. However, when President Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the pact in 2018, it collapsed. Since then, Tehran has steadily increased its uranium enrichment - now at 60%, far above the 3.67% allowed under the JCPOA, though still below weapons-grade levels.

For European diplomats, the goal is not simply nuclear containment. They also hope to establish a channel for shuttle diplomacy between Tehran, Washington, and key European capitals to avert full-scale war. The diplomatic strategy mirrors earlier efforts led by former EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who played a key role in brokering the original deal.

David Rigoulet-Roze, a fellow at the French foreign policy think tank IRIS, argued that while the 2015 deal was imperfect, it provided a vital framework that could have been built upon. He criticized the Trump administration's decision to abandon it as hasty and counterproductive. ?Even with all its flaws,? he said, ?the agreement had the merit of existing.?

Trade, Sanctions, and Broken Trust

European hopes of strengthening trade ties with Iran were dashed after the U.S. reinstated sanctions. Tehran blamed the EU for failing to uphold its end of the deal, despite not initiating the withdrawal. According to Rigoulet-Roze, Europe also suffered from the extraterritorial reach of U.S. law, particularly Washington's ability to impose secondary sanctions, which deterred European firms from doing business with Iran.

Iran has long been a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and, under that framework, opened its facilities to international inspectors. Yet despite years of partial compliance, Tehran continued developing ballistic missile capabilities and supporting armed proxies across the Middle East - including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

Robert Cooper, a veteran British diplomat, described Iran's nuclear ambitions as a long-term strategy for geopolitical influence. ?This was a matter of national pride,? he said. ?I don?t think they ever intended to give it up.?

Iran's Message to Europe

Iran's ambassador Bahreini insisted in his Euronews interview that diplomacy remains possible, but only if Israeli attacks stop. He warned that Europe's perceived failure to act has contributed directly to the current crisis. ?Europe should play its responsibility,? he said, calling for an end to military, financial, and intelligence support for Israel.

He added that these points would be clearly presented to the E3 - France, Germany, and the UK - during the Geneva talks.

Bahreini also warned the U.S. against military involvement. ?If the United States crosses the red lines, there will be consequences,? he said. Iranian military forces are closely monitoring U.S. movements and have the capability to strike, he added. ?We know where the United States should be attacked,? he warned, while stressing that Iran was capable of defending itself without foreign assistance.

Nuclear Program and Proxy Forces

Iran's nuclear program remains a central concern. Though Tehran claims it is peaceful and civilian in nature, Israel contends it is part of a covert plan to develop nuclear weapons. The current conflict erupted shortly after Israel targeted facilities in Natanz and Isfahan, which have long been associated with Iran's uranium enrichment.

Despite long-standing support for regional proxy forces, Iran has so far not called on them to escalate the conflict. Bahreini emphasized that Iran believes it can defeat Israel without relying on allied groups such as Hezbollah or the Houthis. ?At this stage, we are confident that we can stop aggression without needing help from anybody,? he said.

Sources:

• Reuters
• Euronews
• BTA