Former NATO official Nicholas Williams said that Europe currently has no realistic expectations regarding the success of diplomatic mediation efforts in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, whether on its part, the United States, or even Tehran, stressing that the European role in this issue is extremely limited.

During an interview with Amal El-Hanawi on the program"Up Close with Amal El-Hanawi," broadcast on Cairo News Channel, Williams added that the most the European Union can do is send messages to the US that reflect its concerns and fears about the escalation, while hinting at a possible margin for diplomatic cooperation.

The Iranian nuclear agreement signed in 2015

The former official noted that this limited scope of diplomacy also includes Russia, in light of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, from which the administration of US President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018. He emphasized that Europe has always favored negotiated solutions, particularly regarding the Iranian nuclear program, but the Trump administration has undermined those efforts.

Williams explained that Trump has consistently pursued a public discourse that marginalizes the European role, emphasizing that he clearly expresses his conviction that the European Union is incapable of playing any effective role in resolving this crisis, particularly in light of the escalating military conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv and the limited European pressure tools available on the nuclear issue.