Josep Borrell on Iran

Josep Borrell, in his capacity as the EU High Representative, has centered much of his engagement with Iran on the preservation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), advocating for diplomacy to avert nuclear proliferation and regional escalation. He has repeatedly stressed the JCPOA's role as a cornerstone of the non-proliferation architecture and has engaged in shuttle diplomacy, including a visit to Tehran in 2020, to overcome obstacles to its revival, even after expressing deep concern over regional tensions and developments like the killing of General Qassem Soleimani. His position has involved pushing for a final text to restore the agreement when talks stalled, while simultaneously warning of severe consequences should the deal collapse.

Concurrently, Borrell maintains a firm stance against the regime’s internal conduct, particularly its human rights record, explicitly condemning the ongoing repression against women and girls, which he has addressed publicly, including in speeches delivered in Strasbourg. In response to escalating human rights violations, especially following the 2022 protests, the EU, under his purview, has implemented multiple sanctions packages targeting those responsible. Despite this, there has been internal EU discord regarding other measures, such as designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity, a move he previously opposed on what he stated were legal grounds, illustrating a tension between his commitment to nuclear diplomacy and his response to the regime’s non-nuclear actions.