EU Foreign ministers gathered in Brussels for an exchange of views on the future of the Eastern Partnership, as well as discussions on Turkey, Syria and Iran. On the latter, ministers said they would continue pushing to restore ties with the Islamic Republic, Israel’s arch-enemy, in line with last year’s nuclear agreement with Tehran, which US President-elect Donald Trump has said he would overturn. The European Union stressed, however, that the international community must upkeep the Iran agreement. Even though rapprochement between Brussels and Tehran was recorded on several fronts, the European alliance has failed to enroll Tehran’s cooperation on Syria, where Iran is fighting on behalf of President Bashar Assad against Western-backed rebels. Another important point to mention is the fact that the Islamic Republic is scheduled to hold presidential elections in May, and the incumbent Hassan Rouhani – whom EU diplomats expect to stay on for a second term – is under pressure to show tangible results of pursuing a tentative rapprochement with the West.
