Dangerous escalation
Iran’s decision to resume uranium enrichment research has cast heavy clouds over its relations with the West. For the time being, the crisis has been kept at the diplomatic level, but after the latest developments everything is possible. The European Union has already taken an initiative to de-escalate tensions in US-Iran relations, but without much success. The diplomatic impasse opens the door to the possibility of US military action. Europe has criticized Tehran’s moves but it does not want to see an escalation of the crisis, let alone renewed military conflict in the wider Middle East. In light of the persisting deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian relations, the ongoing insurgency in Iraq, unceasing volatility in Afghanistan and the constant threat of Islamic terrorist strikes at home, Western governments cannot afford to open yet another front in the region. But this is not just about geopolitics. Iran is a major oil-producing nation, which makes it very important to the energy-deficient countries of the Continent – particularly at a time of growing demand and high prices. There is little doubt the international community must prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, despite the fact that it has been too tolerant on this issue toward other countries, contributing to nuclear proliferation. On the other hand, the West must respect the national dignity of the Iranian people, meaning that it must allow space for constructive diplomacy and avoid hasty action. Above all, the West must do everything it can to avoid military action. Greece, an integral part of the European Union and a neighbor of the volatile Middle East region, is aware of these complexities and contradictions and it has every reason to push for a diplomatic solution. Because of its size and landscape, war with Iran would be no cakewalk even for the unmatched superpower. After all, the Iraq quagmire and wider developments have proved that military action can have many unpredictable consequences.
