Transatlantic Relations in the Light of the US’s Withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal

The article presents an analysis of the political divisions between the United States and its European allies concerning the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program. The first section of the article elucidates the key aspects of the research program, which is grounded in the theoretical framework of neoclassical realism to interpret the goal-setting and motivations of European participants' actions. The subsequent section delineates the circumstances surrounding the U.S. departure from the Iranian nuclear agreement, while the third part outlines the context and manifestations of foreign policy responses by European participants of the JCPOA, offering initial conceptual insights into challenging the U.S. exit from the Agreement. The article suggests that emerging contradictions stem from varying assessments by partners regarding the international-political ramifications of the JCPOA's breakdown and conflicting interests among involved parties. The response of European allies (EU/E3) was influenced by specific conditions at that time, shaping responsive actions and reaction forms based on a set of political and economic factors. In these circumstances, European participants aimed at a) maintaining constructive politico-diplomatic relations with Iran and fostering multilateral cooperation; b) sustaining mutually beneficial trade and economic ties, alongside established infrastructures for engagement with Iran.