The deal between the United States and Iran is intended to open the door to further negotiations and could lead to the Strait of Hormuz being reopened for navigation.
At first glance, this is good news. But there is no reason to celebrate. So far, we do not know the exact contents of the agreement. An alleged 14-point plan circulated from Iran reads as highly problematic. Strictly speaking, this is not yet a comprehensive deal. For now, it is an agreement to negotiate another agreement, which is later supposed to lead to talks on Iran’s nuclear programme. The most difficult questions therefore remain unresolved. That is why, in interviews with Deutschlandfunk and Handelsblatt, I warned against too much optimism.
Europe must keep up the pressure on Iran
If sanctions were now eased and frozen Iranian assets released in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, that would be particularly bitter. After all, these sanctions were originally imposed in response to human rights violations. And the regime continues to execute people, detain political prisoners, suppress protests and block the internet.
The European Union should therefore not rush to lift its own sanctions, even under pressure from Trump. Targeted sanctions against the Revolutionary Guards, the political leadership and the apparatus of repression in particular must remain in place. They are aimed at those responsible for violence and repression.
Any sanctions relief must be tied to verifiable progress: on the nuclear programme, on regional destabilisation and on the situation of the Iranian people. Political prisoners must be released, executions ended and access to the internet restored.
A possible European mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz has to be carefully assessed. Before Germany or other EU member states send ships, there must be clarity on their specific mandate, the legal basis for their deployment and how their safety would be guaranteed. A purely symbolic deployment to accommodate Donald Trump would not be the right approach.
International law is in crisis
In my speech in plenary, I focused on the region as a whole. Because there, we can see what happens when international law is only defended when it is politically convenient.
There is an Iran deal that is not really a deal. And there is a ceasefire in Gaza that is not really a ceasefire. At the same time, violence continues across the region: in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Civilians are paying the price – in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Iran and beyond.
That is why I called on Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz to advocate in the European Council for the consistent application of international law. International law was not created for times of harmony. It was written precisely for moments like this.
My Speech:
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