First the cunning: Europe is still holding out hope that it can somehow resurrect the failed nuclear deal with Iran that relaxed sanctions on Tehran in return for allowing international inspections of its atomic activities. To keep the door open, European leaders, whose countries also stand to benefit from a resumption of trade with Iran, have taken pains not to offend the regime. By this logic, a failure to express condolences over Raisi’s death would be considered an unnecessary provocation.
Leaving aside the continued viability of the nuclear deal at this stage, it’s worth recalling the details of Iran’s malevolent behavior, not just toward its own people and neighbors, but toward Europeans.
While Borrell (or a minion) was crafting his condolences tweet, one of his diplomats, Johan Floderus, is locked up in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where he has spent the past two years. His crime? Visiting Iran on holiday.
Iran officially accuses the Swede of “corruption on Earth,” a wide-ranging set of charges that includes allegedly spying for Israel.
In reality, he’s simply been taken hostage. Like Russia and other rogue nations, Iran has turned taking Westerners hostage into something of a cottage industry. It uses the hostages as bargaining chips to either win the release of Iranian prisoners in the West or other concessions.
Just ask Michel, who served as Belgian prime minister before becoming Council president.
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