When the Iran oil embargo commenced in November 2011, the United Kingdom stood alone among European nations in aligning with US policies toward Iran. Nevertheless, following Iran’s severance of bilateral relations with England, other European countries also imposed sanctions as a punitive measure against Iran. Europe’s dissatisfaction with Iran was further exacerbated by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report on Iran’s nuclear activities, which resulted in the decision to unite against its nuclear program. In addition to pressure from the United States and concerns over a potential war between Israel and Iran, worries about regional instability and Europe’s desire to assert its role in international security issues were also significant factors in the adoption of sanctions against Iran.
The sanctions against Iran have had a profound impact on the countries imposing the embargo, particularly within Europe. This article focuses on the most significant security and political consequences of these sanctions on Europe. The security issues include immigration, the growing divide between European and Eastern countries, the loss of Iran as an independent actor, the rise in anti-European sentiments, and the revelation of structural weaknesses within the European Union. These are among the security and political effects of the anti-Iranian sanctions on Europe.
Security Issues and Immigration
At the regional level, the impact of sanctions on Iran’s political approach has been limited. Europe’s inadequate attention to Iran’s regional influence and its handling of crises, such as the one in Syria, has proven to be unwise. It is crucial for Europe to recognize that Iran’s significance extends beyond the nuclear issue and includes other areas of concern, such as the Syrian conflict. The influx of Syrian immigrants into Europe is a direct consequence of the West’s misunderstanding of the situation. In addition to the immigration challenge, Europe also faces security burdens resulting from ongoing events in the Middle East. The terrorist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, carried out by ISIS, highlight the fact that Europe cannot effectively address the developments in the Middle East without involving Iran (Geranmayeh, 2020: 2).
One of the costs that Europeans have paid and continue to pay for imposing sanctions is the escalation of tension throughout the Middle East due to Iran’s preoccupation with dealing with the consequences of the sanctions. This directly affects Europe’s security. The military and economic blockade imposed on Iran has compelled the country to strengthen its allied forces in the region. While these forces play a crucial role in combating terrorist groups and liberating the region, Europe perceives them as conflicting with its interests. Iran’s proxy forces have become one of the most powerful and decisive forces in the region, as demonstrated in the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza. It is important to note that the Islamic Republic of Iran does not seek to destabilize the West Asian region; instead, it views the establishment of these forces as a means to enhance security. One consequence of the sanctions against Iran is the strengthening of its proxy forces, which in turn empowers Tehran to defend itself against regional and international threats. The emergence of ISIS and other terrorist groups posed a threat to Iran’s national interests. Therefore, with the assistance of its regional forces, Tehran successfully eradicated ISIS in the region.
Europe missed out on the benefits of collaborating with Iran and has lost its final stronghold in the Middle East due to imposing sanctions and attempting to isolate the Islamic Republic by reducing diplomatic relations (Consilium, 2023, https://rb.gy/q55hti). The absence of Iran from the Geneva conference was the main reason for Europe’s failure to adopt a constructive approach to resolving the Syrian conflict. This issue is not limited to Syria but is also evident in other regions. Iran’s primary goal is to stabilize the region and protect its borders from radical groups. It has successfully eliminated radical groups on its eastern border with Pakistan and is currently working to prevent Pakistan from falling under the influence of these groups. These radical organizations, such as ISIS and other terrorist entities, pose a significant security threat to both the region and Europe. Their activities are not confined to West Asia; they have also carried out terrorist attacks in Europe. Therefore, Iran’s actions in the region, along with Europe’s collaboration with Iran, serve the security interests of European nations.
The Gap Between European and Eastern Countries
The European countries imposed sanctions on Iran with a clear political goal. They even began cautioning other developing countries against pursuing nuclear capabilities. However, they not only failed to achieve their objective but also inadvertently elevated Iran as a symbol of a nuclear nation. Despite the pressure, Iran persisted with its nuclear program. Consequently, the sanctions created a divide between Western countries, including Europe, and non-Western countries. Despite the European sanctions, countries such as Russia, China, South Korea, India, and Turkey maintained their political and economic relations with Iran based on economic pragmatism. Even before this, the West had to make substantial concessions to persuade China and Russia to cooperate within the Security Council (Iran Project, 2019: 42). Russia and China opposed compromising the Iranian economy and causing hardship for its civilian population. Although the European sanctions were not initially intended to negatively impact the general public, they ultimately caused irreversible and long-lasting harm.
Loss of Iran as an Independent country
When examining the situation, it is evident that Europe has lost Iran as the sole independent nation in the region. All Arab states of the Persian Gulf and Central Asia have aligned themselves with the United States, thereby limiting Europe’s influence on regional developments (EEAS, 2022, https://rb.gy/76b8oc). Prior to the implementation of sanctions, Iran served as the only independent country with which Europeans could establish close cooperation, enabling Europe to actively engage in Middle East affairs. Regrettably, these sanctions have deprived Europe of this invaluable opportunity.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, with its political independence in the region, is regarded as a valuable partner for the European Union due to its specific foreign policy towards external actors. Iran’s various capacities, particularly in the political and security domains, present a reliable opportunity for Europeans. Undoubtedly, Europe has forfeited the opportunity for valuable cooperation with Iran as a result of these sanctions, cooperation that could have been pursued in line with the shared interests of the parties. Other regional actors do not serve as adequate alternatives to fill this void. Therefore, collaboration between Iran and Europe would serve to promote common security interests.
Effective resolution of Iran and Europe issues by them would result in decreased tensions in the region. Europeans should view the security of West Asia, particularly Iran, as crucial to their own security. The maintenance of regional and international security, including that of the European Union, necessitates collaboration among multiple entities in order to safeguard security and mitigate threats. By considering their security interests and acknowledging potential threats, Europeans will come to appreciate the significant role played by influential actors such as the Islamic Republic of Iran in ensuring their security.
Increasing Anti-European Sentiments
According to Thucydides, there are three reasons for going to war: honor, fear, and interest (Esfandiary, 2018: 6). Sanctions were implemented to instill fear and gain advantages, but they undermined the honor of Iranians. It can be argued that the most detrimental consequences of the sanctions have been on the dignity of Iranians. Consequently, the sanctions have fueled anti-European sentiments among Iranians, as they perceive the sanctions as the primary cause of their country’s economic woes, thus tarnishing Europe’s reputation in their minds. This has contributed to the existing disagreements and hindered the establishment of communication channels between the two sides. In other words, Europe, by imposing sanctions, has increased the cost of engagement with Iran and worsened the bilateral relations.
Although the sanctions were considered a testament to the European Union’s success in uniting the positions of its member countries on this matter, they have inflicted economic damage on these countries. With the termination of European energy purchases from Iran, other countries have stepped in to fill this gap (Center for the Study of Democracy, 2023, https://rb.gy/y0b9ze). To sum up, while the sanctions may have brought Iran to the negotiation table, they have failed to achieve the desired political objectives. The sanctions have generated anti-European sentiments in Iran. Before the sanctions, unlike the United States, which was despised and resented by Iranians, Europe was on the safe side despite its extensive support for Iraq during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war. Nevertheless, this favorable perception changed after the imposition of the sanctions.
Revealing the Structural Weaknesses of the European Union
The main purpose of sanctions is to disrupt a country’s diplomatic and economic relations with its international partners. Local and regional sanctions imposed by certain countries against a specific nation often yield limited effects. This is due to the embargoed country’s ability to establish alternative relationships with third-party countries in place of those that initiated the embargo. Nevertheless, when it comes to international sanctions, the sanctioned country’s room for maneuver is severely restricted, making it considerably more challenging to find alternative partners at affordable costs.
Iran has undertaken measures to circumvent these sanctions, such as replacing China and Russia with Europe and expanding relations with Turkey, India, and Pakistan. As a result of these sanctions, certain structural weaknesses within the European Union have been exposed. These weaknesses include issues concerning border control and the European Court of Justice (Rogoff, 2015, https://rb.gy/85mcow).
Conclusion
In today’s rapidly changing world, the use of sanctions is perceived as an outdated approach. This holds true for the sanctions imposed on Iran as well. Moreover, these sanctions have had adverse effects on the countries implementing them. This article argues that European countries in particular have experienced various negative consequences, primarily in terms of security and politics. Research findings indicate that security concerns have escalated following the implementation of anti-Iranian sanctions in Europe; while collaborative efforts between Europe and Iran could potentially mitigate regional security issues. Furthermore, the influx of Syrian immigrants is among the detrimental outcomes of these sanctions, and the Islamic Republic of Iran plays a crucial role in preventing the further proliferation of this problem. The imposition of sanctions on Iran has created a divide between European and Eastern countries, while countries such as Russia, China, South Korea, and India have expanded their relations with Iran. Prior to the implementation of anti-Iranian sanctions, Europe and Iran enjoyed extensive relations, and Tehran held a significant independent position in the region, interacting with European countries. However, the sanctions have deprived Europe of this opportunity. Additionally, the sanctions have tarnished Europe’s reputation in the eyes of Iranians. The impact of these sanctions on the everyday lives of Iranians has fostered a negative sentiment towards Europe. Furthermore, as the sanctions against Iran have not been entirely successful and Tehran has managed to mitigate their effects, the implementation of such sanctions has revealed the inherent weaknesses of the sanctioning countries, including Europe.
- Geranmayeh, Ellie (2020), Engaging with Iran: A European Agenda, London: European Council on Foreign Relations.
- Iran Project (2019), Weighting Benefits & Costs of International Sanctions against Iran, New York: The Iran Project.
- Esfandiary, Dina (2018), Assessing the European Union Sanction Policy: Iran as a Case Study, Paris: Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégiqe FRS.
- Rogoff, Kenneth (2015), Do Economic Sanctions Work? Retrieved from Project Syndicate: https://rb.gy/85mcow
- Center for the Study of Democracy (2023), Making Sanctions Work in the European Energy Sector, Accessible at: https://rb.gy/y0b9ze
- Consilium (2023), EU sanctions against Iran, Accessible at: https://rb.gy/q55hti
- EEAS (2022), Iran and the EU, Accessible at: https://rb.gy/76b8oc